A 16-year-old female with complex medical needs was pronounced deceased on January 20, 2023, and her 13-year-old brother, also with complex medical needs, was pronounced deceased on January 31, 2023. The Medical Examiner's Office determined both deaths were due to complications of a medical condition. The agency's Initial Assessment found a preponderance of evidence to substantiate neglect of both children by their mother and father. No criminal charges were filed. The children had resided in a home with their parents, four siblings, and an unrelated 3-year-old child who was in foster care placement. The surviving siblings remained with the parents under Petitions for Protection or Services, while the unrelated foster child was moved to another foster home.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Both children are described as having "complex medical needs" and both deaths were determined to be "due to complications of a medical condition." The agency "found a preponderance of the evidence to substantiate neglect" by the mother and father for both children. The combination of children with complex medical needs dying from complications of their medical condition, coupled with substantiated neglect, strongly implies that the neglect was medical in nature — i.e., failure to adequately address the children's known medical needs.
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
The fatality report states: "The Initial Assessment completed by the agency found a preponderance of the evidence to substantiate neglect of the 16-year-old by her mother and father." The same was found for the 13-year-old. The children resided with their mother and father, who are referred to as their parents throughout the report, indicating they are the biological parents. The father is directly implicated in the substantiated neglect that contributed to both deaths.
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
The fatality report states: "The Initial Assessment completed by the agency found a preponderance of the evidence to substantiate neglect of the 16-year-old by her mother and father" and similarly for the 13-year-old. The mother is directly implicated in the substantiated neglect that contributed to both deaths.
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Both children are described under "Special Needs" as having "complex medical needs." While no specific physical disability is named, the designation of complex medical needs implies ongoing physical health conditions requiring specialized care, and the children's deaths from "complications of a medical condition" corroborate the existence of significant physical medical conditions.
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
The fatality report states: "On April 4, 2022, the agency screened-out a CPS Report" and "On June 8, 2015, the agency screened-out a CPS Report." Both of these are prior CPS reports predating the January 2023 deaths, demonstrating a history of child protection reports involving this family.
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
Several notable details emerge from this case. First, this report covers the deaths of two siblings — a 16-year-old who died on January 20, 2023 and a 13-year-old who died on January 31, 2023 — both from "complications of a medical condition" within 11 days of each other, and both with substantiated neglect. Second, the household included an unrelated 3-year-old child who was placed there under "an existing child protection order," indicating the parents were also serving as foster parents; this child was subsequently moved to another foster home after both deaths. Third, despite substantiated neglect contributing to two children's deaths, the four surviving biological siblings "remained with their mother and father" under Petitions for Protection or Services. Fourth, a CPS report had been screened out less than a year before the deaths (April 4, 2022), and no services were being provided at the time of the incident despite both children having complex medical needs.
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