These are excerpts from online reader comments on one of this week’s most talked-about stories. Join the conversation at Facebook.com/ArizonaDailyStar
Re: Caseworkers made 88 visits before Tucson toddler was killed. Baby was removed from mother at birth, placed with relatives.
Helen Sunstedt: Department of Child Safety has failed again. When is Arizona going to put a stop to innocent babies dying and quit making excuses for this failing department that is supposed to be protecting these children?
Denise Myers Hopper: If many people would stop using this route and making false claims during child custody battles, more time can be freed up to deal with real abuse cases.
Dana Rosovich Cruz: I don’t work for DCS, so I have no idea what kind of rules, laws they follow. And I can’t imagine hurting a child. It’s a shame what drugs can do to a person to make them think it’s OK to beat a child. My heart breaks. I pray for awaking in the world and the systems.
Shelley Weintraub: We need government oversight to make sure DCS is working properly, and there’s enough funding to have enough investigators to do that!
Sharon Rhoy: How about families doing right by their children and not subjecting them to harmful situations?
Lily Carrizosa: But I’m also sad that the baby was born with narcotics in his system. This is all just so sad. This baby deserved better.
Lacy Rodriguez: If people would just properly take care of their children DCS would never have to get involved. Take care of and provide for your kids, don’t place them in harm’s way, and DCS wouldn’t have to get involved. Not that hard of a concept.
Cecilia Rodriguez: Parents that abuse their children should never get their children back. Never never.
Phyllis Denison: Saw this all the time when I was a high-risk case manager in South Carolina. Social workers wanting to only keep the kids with the parents and not taking the signs seriously. One visit done right should have removed this child and never ever put him back.
Cookie Girl-den: Instead of firing the workers, instead of suggesting that everyone who works for the agency is worthless, point that judgmental lens at ourselves and ask what we’ve done lately to better our community? The more eyes and hearts of the community that are with the most vulnerable children and families of our community, it is far less likely these awful things will happen.
