(The Center Square) — The Louisiana Task Force on Child Sexual Abuse Investigation Processes convened in the state Senate, emphasizing major concerns regarding how child abuse cases are handled.
The hearing featured testimony from Kathleen Stewart Richey, a former juvenile court judge in East Baton Rouge now in charge of the newly established State Child Ombudsman program.
Richey revealed that her office has already received about 250 complaints, 10% of which involve child sexual abuse.
She noted, “We’ve seen some patterns,” indicating systemic issues within the state’s child welfare agencies.
Concerns about the lack of training for intake workers at the Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services were also raised. Richey pointed out that there is no specific protocol for interviewing reports of child sexual abuse, leading to inadequate assessments of cases.
She called for better training to help mitigate secondary trauma and improve the quality of interviews conducted by intake staff.
A central focus of the discussions was the critical role of multidisciplinary team meetings held by advocacy centers, which aim to enhance communication and collaboration among state agencies, including the Department of Children & Family Services, law enforcement and district attorneys.
The task force emphasized the importance of these monthly multidisciplinary team meetings, explaining that they are not centered on prosecution but rather on ensuring that children receive necessary services.
“The number one issue we’re talking about right now is a lack of communication between agencies, and MDT meetings force that communication,” Richey noted.
She also said the coordinated effort leads to stronger cases for all parties involved, ensuring better outcomes for children in abuse and custody situations.
To illustrate the impact of the lack of communication, Richey detailed a case involving two children in shared custody between divorced parents.
A 13-year-old girl, hospitalized for depression, disclosed to her therapist that her father had sexually abused her. The therapist, as a mandated reporter, alerted authorities, and children and family services initially validated the abuse complaint.
However, after the father appealed, the state child welfare agency reversed its decision, negating the appeal and placing the mother under pressure from the custody judge to return the children to their father.
Complicating matters further, a cousin of the girl later disclosed that she had also been molested by the same man. Despite these disclosures, the cousin’s case remains unresolved, with the child still spending several days a week in the father’s custody.
Richey underscored that the families involved are not seeking retribution. “They just want help protecting their children,” she emphasized, highlighting a common theme among families navigating the system.
Other experts echoed these concerns, with Lacie Hadley, the director of forensic interviewing at the Gingerbread House Children’s Advocacy Center, emphasizing the need for clearer protocols and consistent collaboration between agencies.
Lafourche Parish District Attorney Kristine Russell expressed worry over the state child welfare agency’s inconsistent decisions and the impact this has on children.
“I’ve handled sex abuse cases for 15 years, and I have no idea why children and family services does certain things,” Russell said. She shared an example of a case where a child who reported abuse was placed with paternal grandparents, only to face pressure from family members to recant. By the time alternative placements were found, significant damage had already been done to the child.
Richey highlighted the critical role multidisciplinary team meetings held by advocacy centers play in ensuring the protection and well-being of children in complex custody and abuse cases.
These meetings bring together representatives from the Department of Children and Family Services, law enforcement, and the district attorney’s office to enhance communication and collaboration between agencies.
