Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?

The fatality report explicitly lists "parental lack of supervision" among the intake allegations. The 2019 intake described how "a neighbor found the four-year-old child hiding in the neighbor's bushes" and the mother was not adequately supervising her children. Furthermore, the mother driving under the influence of substances with six-month-old F.A. as the sole passenger constitutes grossly inappropriate supervision.

Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)

The fatality report states: "one of F.A.'s older siblings told an employee at the Boys and Girls Club that their mother and F.A. were hit by F.A.'s father while the mother was holding F.A." This is an explicit allegation that F.A. was struck by the father. Additionally, a separate allegation describes F.A.'s father slapping the mother while she was breastfeeding F.A.

Is there any mention of medical neglect?

The fatality report states: "F.A.'s mother did not obtain prenatal care and did not bring F.A. back for follow up medical care as directed at discharge. The medical provider called the mother multiple times to try and get her to bring F.A. back for a medical evaluation." Additionally, "The pediatrician said the mother does not regularly bring in her children." This constitutes explicit evidence of medical neglect.

Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?

The fatality report explicitly states: "F.A.'s mother was driving a vehicle and F.A. was the only other occupant. F.A.'s mother was observed driving erratically before her vehicle crashed." F.A. died on July 14, 2024, "as a result of injuries from the July 7 crash."

Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?

The fatality report states: "F.A.'s umbilical cord test results were positive for methamphetamines and cannabis." Additionally, "at the birth [the] mother tested positive for cannabis." These results confirm prenatal substance exposure.

Is there any mention of sexual abuse?

The fatality report states: "in 2021, LE investigated a case of sexual assault to the mother's [child] by a family friend." While this involved a sibling of F.A. rather than F.A. directly, it is an explicit mention of sexual abuse within the family history.

Was a biological mother involved in the death?

The fatality report states: "F.A.'s mother was driving a vehicle and F.A. was the only other occupant. F.A.'s mother was observed driving erratically before her vehicle crashed. It was believed that F.A.'s mother was under the influence of substances." The DCYF investigation resulted in "a founded finding for negligent treatment or maltreatment by F.A.'s mother." The biological mother was directly responsible for the crash that caused F.A.'s death.

Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?

The fatality report explicitly states: "Prior to F.A.'s death, DCYF received 12 intakes regarding [the] family. Of the 12 intakes, 10 were received after F.A. was born and five of the 10 intakes were assigned for a CPS investigation or FAR assessment." The report also documents intakes dating back to 2019 for F.A.'s siblings.

Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?

The fatality report documents multiple domestic violence allegations. "One of F.A.'s older siblings told an employee at the Boys and Girls Club that their mother and F.A. were hit by F.A.'s father while the mother was holding F.A." A separate report described the father slapping the mother on the face while she was breastfeeding and then dragging "the mother out of the trailer by her hair." There are also references to smashed windshields and broken windows as a result of violence. DV is listed as one of the allegation categories across the 12 intakes.

Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?

The fatality report indicates F.A.'s father had extensive prior criminal history. He was under DOC supervision (probation), was incarcerated multiple times during the timeline, had an active arrest warrant issued May 13 for not reporting to his probation officer, and was described as having "been aggressive with the DOC officers in the past" and "known to engage in racially motivated assaults." He also "assaulted his cell mate and was subsequently criminally charged with assault" on June 26. These all predate the July 7 crash that caused F.A.'s death.

Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?

The fatality report extensively documents substance use by both parents. The mother tested positive for cannabis at F.A.'s birth. The mother's oral swab was positive for methamphetamines. The father had methamphetamine found "throughout the family's trailer and on the father's body" and a "meth pipe next to the crib." The father also "smoked cannabis and drank alcohol the previous day during his father's funeral." The mother was suspected of driving under the influence at the time of the crash.

The fatality report describes several significant systemic issues. The first CPS investigation was "closed as unable to complete due to the parent's lack of cooperation with the investigation." On July 3, a relative called DCYF to report F.A. was unsafe because the mother was using drugs, but "The intake was closed at screening because it did not contain any new allegations of abuse or neglect" — just 11 days before F.A.'s death. The report notes there were no urinalysis collection sites in the Mt. Vernon catchment area, limiting substance use testing to oral swabs or requiring travel long distances. Methamphetamine residue was found "on furniture and next to the crib as well as a meth pipe next to the crib" during the father's arrest, yet F.A. was not placed in protective custody by LE. The Committee discussed significant DCYF staff vacancies and turnover, and expressed concern about caseworker physical safety, noting that the father "posed enough of a threat to LE and probation officers that those agencies required more than one person to respond at all times and at one point a drone was used." Committee members questioned why DCYF staff are not allowed to carry weapons or provided critical incident support similar to law enforcement.