Connecticut’s Child Advocate said the Department of Children and Families failed to recognize danger signs that were present before the death of a two-year-old girl who died from an overdose of a prescription drug in 2014. That drug was prescribed to her mother to treat her opioid addiction.
Child Advocate Sarah Eagan released a report on Tuesday criticizing DCF for its failure to respond to serious risks to Londyn Rain Sack, based on her mother's lengthy history of drug abuse and erratic behavior, as well as complaints of child abuse.
“The risks to the children at home were not fully evaluated or addressed," she said. "We also found that these deficiencies were compounded by an inadequate response to a police call to the DCF child abuse hotline in the weeks prior to Londyn’s death.”
The mother, Rebekah Robinson, was arrested in June and faces a manslaughter charge in Londyn’s death. Robinson has pleaded not guilty.
The Hartford Courant reports, DCF Commissioner Joette Katz calls Londyn’s death an "isolated" case that is rare among DCF's tens of thousands of cases. Katz said she has replaced the supervisors who were involved in the case, and that the department has made a series of changes in its case practices to prevent a recurrence.
