Wex Wimpy
June 28th 03, 06:21 PM
Tenn. Child Services Official Fired
Fri Jun 27, 2:36 PM ET
By KARIN MILLER, Associated Press Writer
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A top regional official with Tennessee's child
protection agency has been fired amid an investigation into the deaths
of several children under state care, the department said Friday.
The Shelby County office, in Memphis, came under scrutiny this spring
after a state audit found its administrator, Juanita White, tried to
conceal questionable purchases, including $5,750 for the use of a
yacht club.
A fired DCS worker and other former agency employees then came
forward, alleging that White also had tried to keep quiet the deaths
of at least six children in homes where DCS child protective services
workers had investigated abuse reports.
Diana Lowry, who was fired by White after 25 years with the state,
said the cases were closed quickly and without adequate investigation.
White, the regional administrator since 2000, has denied any
wrongdoing. She declined repeated requests for an interview.
DCS Commissioner Mike Miller, who took office in January, sent
officials and an investigative team to Memphis two weeks ago to look
into the complaints. On Friday, after meeting with Memphis department
officials, he said White was fired for "personal reasons."
"There's no direct culpability or responsibility or disciplinary
action implied," Miller said. He said investigators are not far enough
along to determine whether the allegations are true.
Last week, the department said it was expanding the investigation to
include the June 17 death of 8-month-old Dewayne Butler. The DCS
office had received two reports in April that the baby had been
abused, but it closed the case in May after the reports were
determined to be unfounded.
The boy died of head trauma a few weeks later, and his 18-year-old
mother is now charged with murder.
Tennessee was already operating under a federal court order to improve
its foster care system as the result of a lawsuit settlement.
Other states' child protection services have also faced recent
criticism.
Florida's child welfare agency chief acknowledges the department still
has problems with abuse investigations and foster care more than a
year after caseworkers admitted they had lost track of a still-missing
foster child, Rilya Wilson.
New Jersey this week agreed to immediately spend an extra $22.3
million to bolster its child welfare agency and allow an independent
panel to oversee major reforms under a settlement with a child
advocacy group. The agency came under renewed scrutiny in January
after the starvation death of Faheem Williams, 7, in Newark. Reports
of problems in the home were not investigated.
___
On the Net:
Tennessee Department of Children's Services:
http://www.state.tn.us/youth/
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030627/ap_on_re_us/tennessee_children_s_services_2
Fri Jun 27, 2:36 PM ET
By KARIN MILLER, Associated Press Writer
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A top regional official with Tennessee's child
protection agency has been fired amid an investigation into the deaths
of several children under state care, the department said Friday.
The Shelby County office, in Memphis, came under scrutiny this spring
after a state audit found its administrator, Juanita White, tried to
conceal questionable purchases, including $5,750 for the use of a
yacht club.
A fired DCS worker and other former agency employees then came
forward, alleging that White also had tried to keep quiet the deaths
of at least six children in homes where DCS child protective services
workers had investigated abuse reports.
Diana Lowry, who was fired by White after 25 years with the state,
said the cases were closed quickly and without adequate investigation.
White, the regional administrator since 2000, has denied any
wrongdoing. She declined repeated requests for an interview.
DCS Commissioner Mike Miller, who took office in January, sent
officials and an investigative team to Memphis two weeks ago to look
into the complaints. On Friday, after meeting with Memphis department
officials, he said White was fired for "personal reasons."
"There's no direct culpability or responsibility or disciplinary
action implied," Miller said. He said investigators are not far enough
along to determine whether the allegations are true.
Last week, the department said it was expanding the investigation to
include the June 17 death of 8-month-old Dewayne Butler. The DCS
office had received two reports in April that the baby had been
abused, but it closed the case in May after the reports were
determined to be unfounded.
The boy died of head trauma a few weeks later, and his 18-year-old
mother is now charged with murder.
Tennessee was already operating under a federal court order to improve
its foster care system as the result of a lawsuit settlement.
Other states' child protection services have also faced recent
criticism.
Florida's child welfare agency chief acknowledges the department still
has problems with abuse investigations and foster care more than a
year after caseworkers admitted they had lost track of a still-missing
foster child, Rilya Wilson.
New Jersey this week agreed to immediately spend an extra $22.3
million to bolster its child welfare agency and allow an independent
panel to oversee major reforms under a settlement with a child
advocacy group. The agency came under renewed scrutiny in January
after the starvation death of Faheem Williams, 7, in Newark. Reports
of problems in the home were not investigated.
___
On the Net:
Tennessee Department of Children's Services:
http://www.state.tn.us/youth/
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030627/ap_on_re_us/tennessee_children_s_services_2