Child Fatality Investigations

In December 2003, the Office of the Child Advocate committed to conduct in-depth reviews of the child welfare system's interactions with families whose children died due to suspected abuse or neglect in 2004 after an involvement with the New Jersey Department of Human Services (DHS), and its Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS). The 12 children whose deaths led to this investigation satisfied the criteria. As part of every review, this Office evaluated the performance of DYFS in providing services to the family and the child, as well as the roles played by components of the child welfare system at-large, including schools, health care providers, and community agencies.