STATEHOUSE (Feb. 7, 2022) – The Indiana House of Representatives unanimously advanced legislation co-authored by State Rep. Cindy Ledbetter (R-Newburgh) to expand the state’s reporting on child deaths, which could be used to help children in need sooner and prevent tragedies.
According to the latest data from the Indiana Department of Child Services, out of 281 child deaths in 2020, 50 resulted from maltreatment by a caregiver, and 13 of these children had prior DCS involvement. Ledbetter, a member of the House Committee on Family, Children and Human Affairs, said if the state collected more data about instances like these, DCS, and state and local officials could work together to better identify risk factors and develop stronger policies to protect Indiana’s most vulnerable.
“Prioritizing the safety of vulnerable children is crucial,” Ledbetter said. “Collecting more information on cases where there is a child fatality will allow us to identify risks sooner rather than later, ultimately saving young lives.”
Currently, DCS reviews all fatalities involving allegations of abuse or neglect. They also review cases for children younger than age 3 when the death is sudden, unexpected or unexplained.
Ledbetter said the DCS releases a Child Fatality Report every year, and this bill simply adds information to be included in the report. House Bill 1247 would require additional data to be collected, including whether the child had any history with DCS, and whether abuse or neglect was substantiated. The agency would also report on the location and status of the child at the time of death, and indicate whether the child was part of an open DCS case, and whether or not the child had been returned home. The agency would also report whether the death occurred at home while the parents received interventions like counseling or addiction treatment.
Ledbetter said any Hoosier who suspects a child is being abused or neglected can call the Indiana Department of Child Services’ Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 1-800-800-5556. Reports can be made anonymously 24/7.
Each month, on average, DCS receives 15,000 hotline calls reporting suspected child abuse or neglect, and estimates that 75 percent of those reports are investigated for substantiation of the claims.
Visit iga.in.gov for more information on House Bill 1247, which now moves to the Indiana Senate for further consideration.
