Child dies by suicide 1 hour after DCF visit, according to scathing new report. Now CT lawmakers are taking action
Connecticut's child advocate said she is "alarmed" after a child died by suicide one hour after the Department of Children Families allegedly denied a request to move into foster care.
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Last week, a child reportedly told the Connecticut Department of Children and Families they didn’t feel safe at home and wanted to move into foster care.
DCF said no.
The child died by suicide one hour later, according to a scathing letter from the Office of Child Advocate on Thursday.
It’s just the latest incident leading state lawmakers to push for sweeping reforms at the troubled child welfare agency.
“LEAVES US ALARMED”
The child’s plea fell on deaf ears, according to acting child advocate Christina Ghio.
“During that visit, the child told the DCF caseworker that the child did not feel safe and asked to come into foster care,” Ghio wrote to DCF Commissioner Susan Hamilton. “The family had a lengthy DCF history in Connecticut, did not have stable housing, had moved in and out of Connecticut over many years, and none of the children were enrolled in school. Despite these facts and all of the information available to DCF, DCF made a decision to leave the child with the parent, indicating that coming into care was not an option.”
Ghio said the child took their own life within an hour of a case worker’s visit.
“OCA has opened an investigation,” Ghio wrote. “While it is too early to reach conclusions, our preliminary review of this case leaves us alarmed. In fact, OCA has grown increasingly alarmed at the quality of case practice observed through our reviews of critical incidents and child fatalities, some of which have garnered significant public attention and some of which have not.”
Hamilton said the agency has opened its own probe into what happened.
“Consistent with existing protocols, we have commenced a multidisciplinary review that will include our knowledge about the family, casework decisions, supervisory and managerial oversight, and adherence to policy and best-case practice standards. We will be transparent regarding what we learn from our assessment once our comprehensive review is complete,” the commissioner said in a statement. “We take very seriously and support the recommendations outlined in the OCA letter … We are committed to ongoing collaboration with our system partners, including the OCA, legislators, private providers, community partners, families and youth with lived expertise to address identified system gaps.”
OTHER INCIDENTS
Two other child abuse cases involving DCF already gained national attention.
A Waterbury man was allegedly held hostage for 20 years by his own family. Several months later, 11-year-old Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres-Garcia was found dead in a storage container. Police said the girl had been dead more than a year – unbeknownst to child welfare authorities.
Both victims fell off case workers' radar after parents falsely claimed they were being homeschooled.
“We’ve had a slew of tragic occurrences in our state over the last year, and the last few months really,” said state Rep. Corey Paris (D-Stamford).
DCF REFORMS MOVE FORWARD
The latest bombshell dropped as the Connecticut House of Representatives was approving sweeping reforms to DCF.
The wide-ranging legislation creates a new Child Welfare Policy and Oversight Committee. It directs DCF to improve coordination with the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. The agency would also have to work with OCA to immediately remove abused children from out-of-home placements.
If a child under investigation is taken out of Connecticut, DCF would have to coordinate an in-person visit with the other state.
“I think that this is the start of the change that people want to see at DCF. I think people want accountability; I think people want to see that we are getting the answers in real time from DCF,” Paris told reporters. “And while we can't close every loop, we can certainly begin and I think this is an earnest endeavor that we’re doing here.”
The bill also requires extra training for DCF case workers and creates new incentives and mentorship programs to hire more of them.
“We’re trying to be helpful,” said Connecticut House Speaker Matt Ritter (D-Hartford). “There’s a lot of things in here that I think are tackling it from a variety of ways. It’s not just blaming DCF for the problem.”
Hamilton, who was just appointed to lead DCF, said understaffing is a major challenge.
“Tangible and measurable changes are needed to elevate the quality of our work. This needs to include addressing workforce challenges and ensuring transparency and accountability,” she said. “To that end, we have already initiated several improvement strategies and others will be implemented in the coming weeks.”
HOMESCHOOL CONTROVERSY
Another push to reform DCF is generating a lot more controversy.
Last Thursday, the state House approved a separate bill to improve oversight of homeschool students. Parents under an active child welfare investigation would be prohibited from pulling their kids out of school.
Connecticut is one of the only states that does not regulate homeschooling, but critics said that parents should not be a scapegoat for DCF’s failures.
“I think where we have to push a little harder in making sure that we have reporting back from DCF,” said Connecticut House GOP leader Vin Candelora (R-North Branford). “We need those report cards to see that they’re doing a good job and they’re doing the right things.”
WHAT’S NEXT?
The DCF reform legislation now heads to the state Senate, which is also considering the new rules for homeschool families.
Both bills are expected to win final approval, sending them on to Gov. Ned Lamont.
