News

February 29, 2008

Pa. probes 4 county child deaths

Two of the children’s families were clients of county Children and Youth Services.

By Terrie Morgan-Besecker tmorgan@timesleader.com
Law & Order Reporter
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The state Department of Public Welfare is investigating the deaths of four children in Luzerne County dating to 2006, including two whose families have been identified as clients of the county’s Children and Youth Services agency.

Director Frank Castano on Thursday confirmed he was verbally notified that DPW has downgraded the agency’s license to provisional status based on circumstances surrounding the death of one of those children.

Castano said confidentially laws prohibit him from naming the child. But a source close to the investigation identified the victim as 3-month-old Xavier Simmons of West Hazleton, who authorities say died under suspicious circumstances on Jan. 15.

The case is being investigated as a possible homicide based on reports of physicians who said the infant’s injuries are consistent with shaken-baby syndrome, District Attorney Jacqueline Musto Carroll said.

Musto Carroll said Thursday the case remains under investigation pending the results of additional forensic tests. She said she hopes to have those results by next week.

Castano, again citing confidentiality laws, said he could not comment on issues surrounding the West Hazleton case that led DPW to downgrade the agency’s license. He stressed the agency is cooperating with DPW in its investigation.

“This is a job in which unfortunately you can have a tragedy,” Castano said. “If there is a way we can look at this to find areas of improvement, I’m all for it.”

The Simmons case is the second within 1 � years in which a child connected to the county’s Children and Youth agency has died.

On Sept 27, 2006, 21-day-old Joseph Breeland, the son of Heather Breeland, suffocated after, police say. his mother rolled over on him while she was intoxicated.

Breeland, 22, of Hazleton, was charged in December 2007 with involuntary manslaughter and several related offenses. At the time of the infant’s death Children and Youth had custody of two of her other children, authorities previously said.

DPW has confirmed the licensing action against Children and Youth was taken due to death of the West Hazleton child. There is no indication the agency’s handling of the Breeland case impacted the decision.

Stacey Witalec, spokeswoman for DPW, said the department investigates all child deaths in Pennsylvania that are considered suspicious to determine if the death was the result of child abuse.

In cases where a child was known to a protective services agency, the department will conduct an extensive review to ensure the agency followed all policies and procedures designed to protect the child.

Witalec said the review is separate from a police investigation. DPW currently has four open investigations in Luzerne County. She said she could not identify the victims by name due to confidentiality laws, and said limited information regarding those deaths will be available in the DPW’s annual child abuse report, which will be released in May

Joe DeVizia, head of the county’s Human Services Department, stressed the investigation into the West Hazleton case is not complete. He said he has complete confidence in the staff at Children and Youth.

“There are some really wonderful things being done there,” DeVizia said. “It’s very difficult, but they do a good job in looking out for the best interest of children.”

Rabbi Larry Kaplan, a foster parent and longtime member of a citizens’ advisory committee to Children and Youth, echoed that sentiment.

“I’ve seen a level of professionalism and dedication I don’t see anywhere else,” Kaplan said. “It’s a very difficult job . . . Sometimes I wonder how they do it, especially knowing tragedies happen.”

Terrie Morgan-Besecker, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 570-829-7179

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