PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A Philadelphia city councilwoman is calling for reform after a foster mother was charged in the death of a 3-year-old girl who was placed in her care by the Department of Human Services.
Police continued their investigation a day after 30-year-old Kiana Casey turned herself in to police to face murder charges after the girl’s death in a Southwest Philadelphia home last week. Councilmember Cindy Bass, chair of the Human Services Committee, aims to do her own investigation into the case.
DHS said the child was placed in Casey’s care because she is a relative — the first cousin of the girl’s father, according to a source.
A law enforcement source said a case worker had made a home visit just an hour before the child was taken by ambulance to Children’s Hospital with fatal injuries including cuts and bruises on her face, arms, legs and torso, along with damaged organs, broken ribs and internal bleeding.
DHS contracts out casework to Community Umbrella Agencies, or CUAs. Northeast Treatment Centers was the CUA in this case.
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Their president, Regan Kelly, said confidentiality rules prohibit her from providing details, but in a statement she called the girl’s death a tragic loss and a horrible outcome.
“My heart hurts for this little girl,” said Councilmember Bass. “The idea that a child that size could have those sorts of injuries is just really outrageous and unacceptable.”
She promised to investigate the case and will push for answers to questions such as how the child was placed in the home where she died, and how her injuries were either ignored or not detected.
“We need to take a look at this and make sure it never happens again,” added Bass.
She also blames the CUA system in general for failing children.
“They’re taxpayer-funded and are expected to provide the highest level of quality, and that just has not happened,” said Bass. “I’ve been calling for reform for quite some time now, and I hope the Kenney administration hears this.”
DHS also said it can’t disclose much information because of confidentiality rules.
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