CPS reports [Mar. 2001]

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REPORTS

Published for the Child Protective Services Staff of the Division of Family and Children Services

March 2001

AAP Recommends Additional Procedures in Determining
Cause of Sudden Infant Death

Back by Popular Demand

In an updated policy, the American Academy of Pediatrics (MP) offers additional guidelines for evaluating unexplained infant deaths that may hefp distinguish between cases of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and fatal child abuse.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, also called crib or cot death, is the sudden, unexplained death of an infant under I year of age. While the number of SIDS cases has
decreased dramatically since 1994 when the AAP began recommending that babies sleep on their backs, the number of unexplained infant deaths attributable to fatal child abuse may be increasing. Some researchers estimate that between I and 5 percent of SIDS deaths may actually be caused by infanticide.
While it is extremely difficult to distinguish at autopsy between SIDS and accidental or deliberate asphyxiation with a soft object, certain circumstances may indicate intentional death. These include the infant's age at 6 months or older, previous unexpected or unexplained deaths of one or more

siblings, simultaneous or nearly simultaneous death of twins, and/or discovery of blood on the infant's nose or mouth.
When a previously healthy infant has died unexpectedly in the absence of external evidence of injury, a preliminary diagnosis of "probably SIDS" can be given . Parents should be informea that other causes of death will be excluded only after a thorough death scene investigation, postmortem examination, and review of case records. It is important that medical personnel and investigators be nonaccusatory and show compassion, sensitivity and support toward the parents and/ or caregivers while conducting a thorough investigation.
The AAP also makes the following new policy recommendations for evaluation of sudden, unexplained infant deaths:
a prompt death scene investigation where the infant was found lifeless
careful interviews of household members by knowledgeable
Continued on page 2

Just in timefor National Child Abuse Prevention Month, we have re-ordered our most popular prevention item-the infant T-shirt-with the message "Cuddle me, Appreciate me, Protect me, Tell me I'm special." 1Welve thousand have been sent to the counties to be distributed by DFCS directors to local hospitals. Every Georgia baby born in April will receive a shirt along with a card with information about parenting classes. Modeling the shirt is 9-month-old Donovan Jordan Alexander
Riesen. He is the grandchild ofJanice Lester, secretaryfor the PS unit.

The Defender-Eddie Bennett

Inside

Training the Teams

"SIDS," continued.from page J

The Defender-

indi.vid.u~Js (potentk1lly jncludjng a ped10tnc10n)

Eddie Bennett

examination of the dead infant at a By Nancy K. Ohmdahl

hospital emergency department by The Athens Banner-Herald recently

a child maltreatment specialist

honored agroup ofpeople, each of

postmortem examination within

whom had been nominated as a

24 ~ours o~ death, including

"top .citizen."Among the winners was

rad.1ograph1c skeletal survey, toxico- Eadie Bennett, a CPS supervisor in

logic and metabolic screening

Clarke Coun0J. The following article

collection of medical history through interviews of caretakers
interviews of key medical

appeared in the paper January 31 2001. It has been edited tofit our' f01mat.

providers
review of previous medical records
The n~w policy also recommends the creation of local infant death investigation teams that would repor~ their findings to the medical examiner or coroner for final review. Parents should be informed immediately once a cause of death is determined.
Editor's Note: The above news release was issued by the MP February ~, 2001. !n Georgia in 1999, death certificates listed 108 infant deaths as SIDS.

Eve1y day, Eddie Bennett works to make home environments safer for children in Clarke County.
As a child protective services supervisor fo~ t0~ A-C County office
of the state D1v1s1on of Family and
Children. ~ervices, he helps parents and families overcome a multitude of problems to ensure the well being of children.
"I've always wanted to work with children and be helpful to them,"
Bennett says. "While a Sunday S~hool teacher years ago, I knew a girl who had been molested by her

wandfather and at the time I recog-

Make note

nized how difficult it was to make changes in the family to make it

The .special Investigation
Umt now has a fax machine. The number is
404-463-3956. Please alert all staff to use the new number to fax child death/serious injury reports, foster home CPS investigations, and any other correspondence. The phone numbers of the state office staff are:
SIU Manager D'Anna Uber ........404-657-3413

safe for her. Seeing how the family failed to keep her protected alerted me to the needs of families and children in this capacity."
Bennett has been working in child prote~tive services for IOyears, the last six years as a supervisor. Perfarming his job with "wisdom compassion, and focus" is how '
family counselor Kathryn ScottYoung wrote in nominating Bennett as a Top Citizen, sets him apart.
"He does his job with more

Program Assistant Gloria White .......... 404-463-7287
Investigator Paulette Jones ......404-463-7281

positive ene.rgy than most people W?uld, and it's a tough job to begin with," Scott-Young said.
"DFCS work is very hard; it's easy to get burned out and become

Consultant Julie Slater.............404-657-3481
Consultant Genie Nolan .........404-657-3422

cynical. But Eddie always comes into a situation with a fresh attitude of hope-with a belief that things
can get better and they can help that family...."

Eddie Bennett
. Be~nett admits that working in child protective services is challenging.
"Dealing with the volume and intensity of the work is the number one obstacle. We try to deal with families in ~ respectful and helpful way and still reduce the incidence of child abuse. The challenge is h~w to work with the fami ly and sttll protect the child."
Recent statewide DFCS controversies have also been a challenge.
"We are more watchful and sensitive in the last few years which has had good and bad '
irnecsluuldtse,"mBoern~nfeotctussaid~n"qGuoaoldityreosfults
work statewide and increases in salaries and training for DFCS workers. The bad is that there is a negative focus on the people who work in this environment.
"We do see fam ilies make a turnaround and make changes. I enjoy seeing a child ab le to grow up happy and healthy....! think we are making a big difference in the lives of children every day."

Flamingos Tum Out in Force
By Florence Rankin
This article appeared in the February 6, 200 I issue ofthe Tifton Gazette.
They're on the loose again. The dreaded flocks of pink flamingos that infested Tifton yards last year are back, courtesy of the Tift County Child Abuse council.
This year's first victims, City Manager Charles Howell and local businessman Charles Howard, found the hot pink birds in their yards Monday morning, Child Abuse Council President Tammy Griffin said.
To get rid of them, Howell and Howard will have to pay a $20 exterminating fee, with proceeds going to Tift County Mental Health, the Department of Family and Children Services, Comprehensive P?ychoeducationa~ S~rvices and the Tift County Comm1ss1on on Children and Youth.
"All of the money stays local," said Griffin. "It's geared toward people who work directly with preventive measures. All of the money will go back to these organizations." As part of the extermination service, Howell and Howard will get to choose the next victims.
The flocking will continue through the end of this month. "This 1s one of our 'funnest' fund raisers," Griffin said. People seem to enjoy it, and it was very successful last year.
"W.e had people calling us wanting us to flock their friends and neighbors, and even one person who wanted us to flock himself.''

Training the Teams

The Macon Crowne Plaza Hotel was the site of multiple crime .scenes seve~al weeks ago. No, 1t wasn't a cnme spree, just a training exercise for participants in the judicial training conference on investigating fatal child abuse.
More than 100 people, including representatives from IOjudicial circuits' investigation teams, attended the intensive 2112day event.
On day one, an experienced multi-disciplinary team from Iowa gave a presentation describing how they got started, obstacles they had encountered and the successful prosecutions that have resulted from their work.
''.This was an outstanding presentation that covered all the disciplines they represented," SIU Manager D' Anna Liber says. "This team is fully operational and offered many tips to Georgia's teams."
Continued on page 4

Melanie Byer, from the Walton County Sheriffs Department, examines a
"crime scene."

A participant studies actual photographs of injuries.

''Training the Teams," continuedfrom page 3 Day two was when many rooms in the hotel became mock crime scenes, with other rooms designated "hospital" or "courthouse." Participants worked in teams, going to the crime scene and walking through the hospital and courtnouse just as they would in an actual investigation. Uber notes that one of the things emphasized at the meeting was using digital cameras to photograph injuries and scenes. "They were in unanimous agreement that the Polaroid does not capture vivid enough images and workers should use either 35 mm or digital cameras," she explained. Summing up the conference, Liber added, "This was an excellent beginning for the judicial circuit concept. The multidisciplinary approach is in operation in some areas of the state and is beginning in many other areas. The Special Investigations Unit is looking forward to partnering with these circuits in the months ahead."
nvo participants practice interviewing skills.
REMEMBER
Investigate any report that alleges abuse or neglect

REPORTS
Published by the Georgia Department of Human Resources Office of Communications
Tell us your story.
What, or whom do you want to read about? Fax your ideas and the name and number of a contact person to Renee Huie, editor, CPS Reports
Cd 404-651 -6815.

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