January 16, 2001 
 
Contact: Renee Huie rmhuie@dhr.state.us 
404/656-4937 DHR Office of Communications 
 
State unit to investigate child deaths and injuries 
 
A new state unit to investigate suspicious deaths and injuries of children whose families are being seen by child protective services workers has begun operating statewide. The Special Investigations Unit is part of the Georgia Department of Human Resources Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS). 
Fourteen specially trained child abuse and neglect investigators are now available around the clock to county DFCS offices. They review the case records on the family, interview family members and anyone else with knowledge of the child or the incident, including physicians and school personnel, and write a chronology of the case. They also testify in court, if necessary. 
"Having an experienced, specially trained investigator on hand when a death or serious injury occurs is a great help to county staff," says special investigations unit chief D'Anna Liber. 
Each investigator is assigned to a specific area, and is within two hours driving distance of any of the area's counties. 
"Serious injury and fatality cases have a lot of urgency to them and take a lot of time to investigate thoroughly," comments Liber. "With our unit involved the county can continue to handle its other cases at the level required by policy." 
The investigations unit works closely with the state Child Protective Services unit which will continue to set policy and procedures and supervise the training of new protective services staff. 
January 16, 2001 
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