Braxtyn Smith was zip tied, injured and denied food, court records state. His mother, father and grandmother are charged with depraved indifference murder in the Feb. 18 killing.
child welfare
Posted inMaine, Politics
Maine fails to meet federal standards when returning at-risk children to their families, watchdog report says
OPEGA’s report highlights another symptom of a child welfare system that suffers from high vacancies, heavy caseloads and a lack of community services for families struggling with mental health and substance use issues.
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Posted inMaine, News
New child welfare chief aims to prioritize input from caseworkers, front-line workers
Bobbi Johnson, who took over the beleaguered system this month, answered questions from lawmakers on the Government Oversight Committee on Friday.
Posted inMaine, News
Maine nonprofit says child caseworkers need more support, parents need to be held accountable
The group, called Walk a Mile in Their Shoes, wants the state to stop prioritizing family reunification when parents are not following plans to keep their children safe from neglect or abuse.
Posted inMaine, News
State agency, legislative committee clash in supreme court hearing over records
Lawmakers on the Government Oversight Committee are appealing a lower court’s decision that barred them from access to confidential child protective records.
Posted inMaine, Politics
Maine’s child protection staff: ‘We work within a broken system’
Lawmakers reviewing the state’s child protective agency hear testimony from front-line workers for the first time Wednesday, and their message is sobering.
Posted inMaine, Maine Crime
Frustrated mother says state failed to protect her baby
Reginald Melvin, 30, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Wednesday. A state watchdog will now review how Child Protective Services dealt with Melvin before his son died in 2021.
Posted inNation / World, New England, News
How and when to remove children from their homes? A federal lawsuit raises thorny questions
A couple whose young children were taken by social workers and police in the middle of the night are suing, arguing they were unconstitutionally removed without a warrant or court order.
Posted inMaine
Critics say report on child’s death sidestepped state’s failures
A legislative committee heard emotional testimony about the state’s oversight of 3-year-old Maddox Williams, who was killed in 2021.
Posted inMaine, Maine Crime, News
Stockton Springs woman sentenced for lying during 3-year-old’s murder probe
Sherry Johnson, 59, was given a suspended sentence Tuesday after pleading guilty. Her daughter, Jessica Trefethen, was convicted and sentenced to 47 years for the death of Maddox Williams.