Doctors say two foster children suffered starvation, malnutrition and had emaciated appearances, loose skin and visible ribs

The Yates were arrested on charges of first-degree assault and first-degree criminal mistreatment last March

Lawsuit identifies nine employees, including DHS Director Clyde Saiki, Lois Day, as well as former foster parents John and Danielle Yates

DHS is facing a $60 million lawsuit that alleges executives and caseworkers ignored severe abuse two children were

The Department of Human Services in Oregon has fired two top officials as the agency is facing a $60 million lawsuit that alleges executives and caseworkers ignored two children who were suffering severe abuse at the hands of their foster parents for years.

Chief operating officer for the child welfare and self sufficiency programs Jerry Waybrant and Lois Day, the director of the child welfare program, were fired, KPTV reported.

The 'continuing concerns in leadership and direction' were cited by DHS in the firings of Waybrant and Day.

Until a permanent replacement is found, Deputy Director Reginald Richardson will serve as interim director and Waybrant's position at DHS will be discontinued.

In November 2015, Waybrant was removed as interim director of DHS.

Fired: Chief operating officer for the child welfare and self sufficiency programs Jerry Waybrant (left) and Lois Day (right), the director of the child welfare program, were fired by DHS. The 'continuing concerns in leadership and direction' were cited by DHS in their firings

In addition, a lawsuit filed Thursday in Multnomah County Circuit Court identifies nine employees, including DHS Director Clyde Saiki, Day, as well as former foster parents John and Danielle Yates, KPTV reported.

The Yates were arrested on charges of first-degree assault and first-degree criminal mistreatment in March 2015.

Police said at the time, their foster children, a four-year-old boy and a five-year-old girl, were not being provided with adequate food or medical care, KPTV reported.

DHS Director Clyde Saiki was named in the $60 million lawsuit filed against the agency Thursday

The lawsuit alleges that the children were 'chronically starved, isolated and physically abused'.

'DHS certifiers, caseworkers and their supervisors and managers ignored clear and repeated signs of child abuse that resulted in life, health and soul-threatening consequences to the children,' the lawsuit states.

In May 2012, DHS placed the children in the certified foster home that belonged to the Yates in Yamhill, Oregon. At the time, the couple already had two other foster children.

The lawsuit alleges that reports of neglect and abuse regarding the two previous children in the Yates home were being reported to DHS in March 2012.

In July 2012, the first two children were removed from the home by DHS, but the other two children involved in the lawsuit remained in their care.

The lawsuit states that DHS received numerous reports of abuse in the years that followed.

The children involved in the lawsuit were thin and small, suffered multiple injuries that the Yates said were from accidentally being hit with a door, getting bumped, or were sustained during swimming according to the lawsuit that cites DHS workers and law enforcement officials.

However, the lawsuit alleges that the cases involving the two children were constantly closed by DHS workers as being 'unfounded,' KPTV reported.

In addition, Danielle Yates told authorities that the two children's unhealthy appearance was due to them being born addicted to heroin, and other times claimed that they were born with fetal alcohol syndrome, the lawsuit alleges.

Former foster parents John and Danielle Yates were also named in the $60 million lawsuit against DHS. The Yates were arrested on charges of first-degree assault and first-degree criminal mistreatment in March 2015

However, neither claim that she made was true, according to the lawsuit.

In December 2014, the children were finally turned over to their parental aunt and were taken to Randall Children's Hospital were doctors found many symptoms of chronic starvation and malnutrition.

The children had emaciated appearances, loose skin and visible ribs.

At the time, the young girl was found to weigh 30 pounds, which is how much she weighed two years earlier when she was placed in the Yates' home, the lawsuit states.

The young boy had only gained one pound in those two years living with the Yates, the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit against the agency is seeking more than $60 million for the children.

No one would comment from DHS about the pending litigation.