Four child death records will be released to the independent legislative agency leading an inquiry into the Maine Department of Health and Human Services’ handling of those records.
The Maine DHHS made the decision to release the records to the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability, but not lawmakers, on Friday, the Portland Press Herald reported. The decision to withhold the documents from lawmakers comes after the state warned that if lawmakers were granted access to the files, it could compromise the ability to prosecute the parents involved in the cases.
The Government Oversight Committee voted Sept. 21 to subpoena DHHS for the records of 3-year-old Maddox Williams and the three other children who passed away in summer 2021 — six-week-old Jaden Harding, one-month old Sylus Melvin and three-year-old Hailey Goding.
In all four cases a parent has been charged with murder or manslaughter in connection with the child’s death.
The investigative team will then be allowed to share findings from the documents with legislators on the oversight committee, according to the Press Herald.
The document review is part of an ongoing investigation into the DHHS and Maine’s child welfare system amid accusations that it has not done enough to keep children safe. Along with the four high-profile child death records, OPEGA will also review a random sampling of other child protection case files from the past 18 months.