Two ACS Workers in NY CPS indicted in death of 4-year-old

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) — A special investigative grand jury will be convened to look at evidence of “systemic failure” at New York City’s child welfare agency after the death of an emaciated 4-year-old girl, the Brooklyn district attorney said Wednesday.

Charles J. Hynes said former workers with the Administration for Children’s Services didn’t do enough to help Marchella Brett-Pierce, who weighed 18 pounds when she died in September. Marchella’s death was the latest in a line of troubles linked to the agency and harkened comparisons to the 2006 case of Nixzmary Brown, a 7-year-old New York City girl who died of abuse and malnourishment.

“There’s an Italian word, it’s called ‘basta.’ It means, ‘enough,’” DA Hynes told CBS 2′s Pablo Guzman.

1010 WINS’ Carol D’Auria reports from the criminal courthouse in Brooklyn

Brooklyn District Attorney Charles J. Hynes said the former workers with the Administration for Children’s Services didn’t do enough to help Marchella Brett-Pierce, who weighed 18 pounds when she died in September.

Child welfare caseworker Damon Adams

and supervisor Chereece Bell were charged Wednesday with criminally negligent homicide the first time in the city’s history that a caseworker has been charged in the death of a child in their supervision.

Child welfare caseworker Damon Adams

Shame on Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who came out in support of ACS Commissioner John Mattingly (pictured together in 2007) in the aftermath of the charges filed against two child welfare caseworkers.  Read more on the Daily News

“I don’t know if the charges are true but I have 100% confidence in John Mattingly,” Bloomberg said Thursday, March 24, 2011.

*************************************************************************

Please post your ACS-CPS horror stories below in the comments, or call the Coalition anonymously.