Report: Indiana Child Abuse, Neglect Deaths Decline

Nearly 60 children died from abuse and neglect in state fiscal year 2016.

(Undated) - An Indiana Department of Child Services report on child abuse and neglect deaths shares the troubling details of each incident recorded in a 12-month period.

In one case, a two-year-old suffered repeated traumatic injuries to the head at the hands of a foster parent. A three-year-old child was malnourished and abused by his father’s live-in girlfriend. A father fatally shot his children then himself as he was about to lose custody of them to their mother.

Those are just some of the stories related in the 2016 Annual Report of Child Abuse & Neglect Fatalities in Indiana. DCS has made the report available to the public at https://www.in.gov/dcs/files/2016_Fatality_Report.pdf.

It says 59 children died from abuse and neglect in fiscal year 2016, down from 77 child deaths in fiscal 2015.

Thirty-five of the deaths were neglect and 24 were a direct result of abuse. Twenty-five of the deaths were accidental, 24 were deemed homicides, four were ruled natural deaths, and six cases were undetermined. Nine of the deaths were among children who had a prior history with DCS. In cases involving abuse, 21 of the 24 victims were ages three or younger.

Dearborn County had one death resulting from neglect while Ripley County had one death attributed to abuse. Marion County saw the most child deaths with 14.

“Each fatality identified undergoes a multi-layered review process that occurs at both the county and state level,” the report’s preface states. “A team of professionals from the local county reviews the assessed fatality alleged to be the result of abuse and/or neglect. A local multi-disciplinary team examines the evidence and recommendations provided by the local DCS staff regarding each death. After the local team reviews the assessment, a team of DCS personnel provides a supplementary review of each case.”

While names and locations are omitted, the report outlines particulars of each child abuse and neglect fatality. DCS says the goal of the report is to prevent the deaths of other children by making the information available. 

Motor vehicle accidents were the leading cause of neglect-related deaths at 12 cases. Other numbers show a need for more caregiver education on water safety and safe sleep practices, according to the agency.

Asphyxia was the cause of death in eight neglect cases. The agency and the Indiana State Department of Health work together to promote best practices for keeping sleeping children safe. Experts encourage parents and caregivers to remember to have children, especially babies, sleep alone, on their back, and in a crib.

Six deaths were drownings. The American Academy of Pediatrics reminds parents and caregivers that a child can drown in as little as one inch of water and should never be left unattended in the bathtub or near a body of water, even for a few minutes.

The report also looked at various stress factors of the caregivers responsible for the dead children. Insufficient income was the most-commonly cited stressor with 16 cases. Substance abuse was a factor in seven cases. Other stress matters included unemployment, disability or chronic illness, and the caregiver being the subject of abuse as a child or a perpetrator or victim of domestic violence.

In June, Governor Eric Holcomb unveiled a state-contracted private consultant’s evaluation of DCS. The Child Welfare Policy and Practice Group analyzed the agency after the resignation of former Director Mary Beth Bonaventura last December.

The study found Indiana has a disproportionately high number of children in the DCS system compared to other states. There was also a high frequency of intervention in families by the agency. Recommendations made by the consultant are currently under review and could lead to legislation in the 2019 lawmaking session.

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