The Division of Family and Children Services said that 35 children died in the 10-week period since Dec. 1, all of them from families that have a history with the agency that investigates reports of child abuse and neglect. That’s more than one-third the number of child deaths — 92 total — the agency saw in all of 2011 in families it had investigated or monitored.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Saturday that officials cautioned that not all of the deaths were caused by abuse or neglect. Still, the child welfare agency’s deputy director, Kathy Herren, said that, “This is a mathematical number that is higher.”
Child advocates said they’re concerned the deaths may signal that the agency isn’t properly investigating homes where children could be in danger.
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