Two current and one former Adams County Children and Youth Services (ACCYS) employees were charged yesterday with felony counts of endangering the welfare of a child. The indictments came after a three-year investigation into the death of a 15-month-old girl on May 31, 2020. The child’s mother was charged with the death of her daughter and pled guilty to third-degree murder.
Pennsylvania State Police handled the investigation and the charges were brought after a review by a statewide grand jury requested by Adams County District Attorney Brian Sinnett.
According to the indictment, while the one-year-old girl and her three-year-old sister were being supervised by ACCYS, the defendants knowingly endangered the welfare of the children by violating a duty of care, protection, or support, including ignoring concerns expressed by service providers and foster patients. The indictment said the defendants dismissed concerns out-of-hand, failed to conduct follow-up investigations before returning the children to their mother. and failed to advise the supervising court of multiple concerns about the children’s mother’s inability to parent safely.
“As a result of that homicide investigation and prosecution, it became apparent that several serious failures occurred in the supervision and reunification process of this case. The murder was very likely avoidable if Adams County Children and Youth Services had not violated the duty of care,” said Sinnett.
Adams County Solicitor Molly Mudd said the two ACCYS staff members have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings and that ACCYS will continue its mission to protect children and provide resources to families in need.
“We ask the public to keep in mind that these staff members are entitled to a presumption of innocence and that a grand jury does not necessarily see exculpatory evidence or hear the other side of the story during its deliberations,” she said.
ACCYS obtained emergency custody of both children in February 2019 after the younger child was born with the presence of cocaine, opiates, and THC in her system. The children were placed with foster parents before being returned to their natural parents after a court order on Feb. 27, 2020.
According to the grand jury statement, a protective services referral was made to ACCYS in late May 2020 regarding the mother drinking and passing out while at a party with her children. One week later, the youngest daughter received injuries that her mother reported were obtained from a fall. She later admitted to shaking the child. The child died from her injuries two days later.
Featured image caption: Adams County District Attorney Brian Sinnett announced that three arrests were made charging youth services employees with endangering the welfare of a chitld.
Judith Cameron Seniura is a freelance reporter. She began her journalism career in the early ‘70s and has written for newspapers, magazines, and other media in Ontario, Canada, Alaska, Michigan, Nebraska, San Antonio, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.