Ripley County Prosecutor Reaches Plea Deal with Former DCS Employee

The employee was charged with official misconduct and forgery, and falsifying child abuse or neglect records in 2024

(Versailles, Ind.) -The Ripley County prosecutor has reached a plea agreement with a former Indiana Department of Child Services employee, who was charged with level 6 felonies for official misconduct and forgery, as well as falsifying child abuse or neglect records in 2024. The charges were the result of an investigation conducted by the Indiana Office of Inspector General, following a referral from DCS.

The charges alleged that Todd Click, a former family case manager in the DCS Ripley County office, entered false reports of home visits and family contacts into the DCS case management system and forged the signatures of parents and caregivers on required DCS forms. Allegedly Click falsified at least 10 case entries and forged signatures on at least seven forms, putting at least five Ripley County families and 11 children at risk.

The forgery and falsified records were uncovered after DCS identified concerns with Click’s case records and referred the matter to the OIG in spring of 2024, approximately one month after Click resigned from DCS.

Click pleaded guilty to forgery and was sentenced on Oct. 6, 2026. All other counts were dismissed as part of the plea agreement. The court sentenced Click to 910 days in jail, with 900 days suspended to probation and credit for time served. Additionally, Click must complete 100 hours of community service. If Click completes probation without violations, he may petition the court to have the conviction reduced to a misdemeanor.

“Forging the signatures of parents and caregivers is a serious breach of duty and trust,” said Indiana Inspector General Jared Prentice. “Our office will continue working closely with agency partners and county prosecutors so wrongdoing is investigated and addressed -- and Hoosier families should expect nothing less.”