The General Assembly passed a new bipartisan law this year that requires Indiana Department of Child Services caseworkers to have in-person contact with an alleged child abuse or neglect victim within 30 days before the agency may close an assessment or seek dismissal or termination of a Child in Need of Services case.
The law is a response to the tragic death of a 5-year-old Marion County child in 2024. The child's mother was recently found guilty of her child's murder. Adding to this tragedy is the fact that DCS closed multiple investigations into this child's abuse and neglect without seeing the victim in her final months. She, like any other victim of alleged abuse, deserved to be seen and heard.
With the most recent Annual Report of Child Abuse & Neglect Fatalities showing DCS investigated more child fatalities in 2024 than in the previous year, state legislators also passed a new law that removed restrictions on the agency from publicly sharing much information from these cases and instead disclose key details, including if they had prior or current involvement with the child or family.
Hopefully these changes will save more young Hoosiers from abuse and help all of us prevent these heartbreaking situations.
Suspected child abuse and neglect can be anonymously reported anytime by calling 800-800-5556. Learn more here.
