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Child Deaths Don't Always Prompt Internal Reviews

Posted: 6:53 PM Jul 22, 2012

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) -- A newspaper analysis of records involving child fatalities has found that child protection workers didn't always conduct internal reviews.

The Lexington Herald-Leader (http://bit.ly/MBqgt8) reports that it looked at records of 41 fatalities in 2009 and 2010 and found at least six that did not review state actions to identify whether improvements were needed to possibly prevent future deaths. State law requires such a review when the Cabinet for Health and Family Services "had prior involvement with the child or family."

Cabinet spokeswoman Jill Midkiff said in some cases the cabinet's prior contact with adults occurred before they turned 18. She said the cabinet doesn't do internal reviews in those cases.

Midkiff said the Cabinet would review at least two cases on Monday to determine why reviews weren't done.