Oklahoma Crisis: Child Abuse and Neglect

Jessica Martin, a DHS child abuse investigator at the Justice Center, said she is not sure how many child deaths she has seen. "There have been so many," she said. TOM GILBERT/Tulsa World

Overview:
In Oklahoma last year, there were 8,110 abused or neglected children -- 83 percent neglected, 12 percent physically abused and 5 percent sexually assaulted.

About 4,700 of those children were removed from their homes, bringing the total number in foster care to 8,974 children.

The Tulsa World has been scrutinizing the Oklahoma Department of Human Services after several high-profile child deaths from abuse and the filing of a federal class-action lawsuit alleging failures in its child welfare division.

In the past year, Oklahomans have read about weekly arrests of adults accused of harming children.

Some are horrific - children being whipped, forced into sexual acts, scalded in unattended hot bath water, beaten and shaken to death.

Those are cases the public knows about because an arrest has been made.

"For every one of those you read about, there are hundreds of others suffering from abuse and neglect you never hear about," said attorney Barbara Sears, who represents children in deprived cases.

With about 30 referrals a day coming into the offices of Tulsa County's front-line child welfare workers, the media reports represent between 1 percent to 5 percent of cases, officials estimate.

This page will feature ongoing coverage including individual abuse and neglect cases and efforts to reform the agency.

Headlines

Dewey man found guilty of murdering 15-month-old step-daughter 2/1/2013

Marcus Trinidad Mitchell was convicted Friday evening of killing his step-daughter, Emma Beth Warmerbrodt.

Tulsa man charged with sexually abusing child relative 1/31/2013

Octaviano Flores, 47, was arrested Jan. 24 after a 14-year-old girl told police that he had forced her to have sexual intercourse with him between December 2011 and July 2012.

Tulsa man admits sexually abusing child, arrest report says 1/24/2013

Octaviano Flores, 47, was arrested after a 14-year-old girl told police that he had engaged in sexual intercourse with her.

LeFlore County man convicted of child sexual abuse, neglect 1/11/2013

James Edward Haskin Jr., 62, of Monroe was convicted of three counts of child sexual abuse and nine counts of felony child neglect involving relatives.

Tulsan indicted on attempted sex-trafficking charge 1/11/2013

Tarran Arnell Brinson, 23, was arrested by Tulsa police after a 15-year-old girl met with an undercover officer during a prostitution sting at the Super 8 motel at 6616 E. Archer St.

DHS reaches goal to move babies, tots from shelters, into homes 1/3/2013

As of the new year, no Oklahoma DHS children's shelters or DHS-contracted shelters have children younger than 2 sleeping under their roofs.

Tribes reject proposal to change law dealing with child custody 12/3/2012

A Tulsa woman's recent proposal to update a federal law governing how tribes assume custody from state child welfare agencies has drawn criticism from organizations working to keep the law as is.

Change in tribal child custody laws proposed 11/26/2012

Dawn Ferrill, a former Oklahoma foster parent, is no stranger to falling in love with a child in her care and then having to let that child go.

Tulsa woman charged with illegally operating day-care home 11/6/2012

Chelsea Amanda Day, 24, is charged with one count of child neglect and two counts of operating a child-care facility without being licensed by the Oklahoma Department of Human Services.

Ruling lets foster mother profit from baby's death to tune of $1 million, lawyer says 10/18/2012

An appeals court ruling has allowed a Tulsa foster mother to “profit from her own neglect” by collecting about $1 million in insurance proceeds after a baby died in her care, according to court records and a motion by an attorney representing the child’s estate.

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Hotline

To report suspected child abuse or neglect,
call 1-800-522-3511.

Stats

Oklahoma child abuse and neglect
Fiscal year 2011

66,541: Reports to the Department of Human Services

29,468: Cases accepted for an assessment or investigation

8,110: Oklahoma children confirmed to have been abused or neglected

9,344: Tulsa County reports to DHS

4,362: Tulsa County cases accepted for an assessment or investigation

1,023: Tulsa County children abused or neglected

Key Documents

Read the filings about attorney fees paid.

What the Law Says

The state law puts the responsibility of reporting on all individuals who suspect the abuse or neglect of a child. The statute specifically mentions medical personnel, teachers and "other" persons.

It states "no employer, supervisor or administrator shall impede or inhibit the reporting obligations of any employee or other person." The law forbids any retaliation against a person for making a "good faith" report.

A person failing to report abuse or neglect could be charged with a misdemeanor.

DHS staff have found some employers, primarily child-care centers and schools, have policies requiring only supervisors make a report. However, this violates the law.

"We rely on the public to let us know what is going on," said Julie Merritt, DHS Tulsa County director in child protection services. "Those rules and policies at schools and day cares do not absolve the teacher or provider from making that referral."