Child abuse, neglect deaths in Louisiana on pace to surpass 2025 numbers

Children and Family Services investigated the deaths of 54 children under age 15 last year and found that 29 were related to abuse or neglect. Out of those confirmed cases, 16 involved perpetrators or children with whom the department had prior contact.

This year’s child death investigation count stood at 55 as of Monday, with 25 substantiated abuse or neglect fatalities. DCFS had previously been in contact with 10 of these households. 

DCFS did not have figures readily available when reached Wednesday for how many of its investigations are ongoing or those found not to involve abuse or neglect.

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Monday’s report to lawmakers from DCFS Secretary Rebecca Harris came just over a year after she was placed in charge of the agency and initiated a sweeping reorganization of its child welfare division. Several office-based supervisors were sent back into the field to handle child welfare cases, and its 24-hour abuse hotline staff was transitioned from remote work to a single call center at DCFS headquarters in Baton Rouge. Both changes led dozens of workers to resign or retire. 

Sen. Patrick McMath, R-Covington, noted that 24 of the department’s 89 child welfare trainees quit between March and July. He asked Harris to explain how the department had managed to reduce staff caseloads over the past year amid such turnover. 

Some DCFS child welfare workers were handling in excess of 90 cases each, with one reaching 165, according to McMath. The caseload average is now around 25 across the state with the exception of the Baton Rouge region, DCFS Assistant Secretary Connie Guillory told lawmakers.

“Help me make the math make sense,” McMath asked DCFS leaders.

Guillory said DCFS regional office leaders were told to create “backlog burndown” to reduce the number of cases field staff have to carry, but she did not elaborate on any specific actions taken. 

McMath and Sen. Regina Barrow, D-Baton Rouge, authored bills in the spring legislative  session to dissolve Children and Family Services and move its responsibilities to other state departments. Barrow agreed to pull her proposal and work with Harris on improvements to the agency. Gov. Jeff Landry, who appointed Harris to lead the department, intervened to sidetrack McMath’s measure.

Child abuse and neglect deaths  have plagued Children and Family Services well before Harris’ tenure. National trends on child maltreatment mirror Louisiana numbers, which have climbed every year since 2020 with the exception of 2024. 

The select committee was also updated on child deaths in the state’s foster care system, which is also under the DCFS umbrella. 

Nine foster children have died this year as of Aug. 8, with six succumbing from health problems they had before being placed in state custody. One death was the result of an overdose, and the other two were the result of abuse and neglect that happened while they were with their biological parents. 

A year ago, DCFS recorded seven foster child deaths, including five from medical issues and one each linked to abuse and neglect.  

Department leaders also acknowledged last month’s arrest of a foster caregiver in Beauregard Parish following the death of 18-month-old Melanie Trahan, who had been in his custody less than a month before she was taken to the hospital. Alberto Marin, 31, has been charged with second-degree murder and another foster child in his home has been removed.

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