"The irrevocable harm done to this child is devastating and heart-breaking," said Ross Hunter, Secretary of DCYF. "This settlement ensures the child receives the quality care she needs for the duration of her life."

In response to the life-changing impact on the child represented, as a newly formed agency, DCYF is continually reviewing its practices and policies to ensure that a high standard of care is met in order to mitigate the risk of child abuse and neglect whenever possible. DCYF regulations and guidelines will be carefully analyzed with the intent of improving practices wherever necessary, including the need to improve the supervision of employees and their handling of cases.

"We understand that we cannot prevent every tragedy, but we can do a better job of reducing the number of them that happen under our watch. DCYF was created to better support at-risk families and reduce the risk of harm to children," said Hunter. "Under my leadership, DCYF’s commitment is to provide the highest standards of care for this child and all children in our care."

###

communications@dcyf.wa.gov