Girl Dies After Agency Closes Case

.c The Associated Press

HARVEY, Ill. (AP) - The body of a girl who had cerebral palsy was found
decomposing in her bed weeks after a state agency stopped visits to the
family because it considered her safe from harm and neglect.

An initial investigation indicates Shanecia McClellan, 9, died of natural
causes, the medical examiner's office said. Her body was found Thursday, two
or three days after she died.

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services said it will
investigate its handing of the family's case. Shanecia's three siblings have
been placed in foster care.

Katina McClellan, 26, told police she could not wake Shanecia on Wednesday
but she could not explain why she did not call authorities, Detective Sam
Ward said.

``She didn't know how to handle it,'' he said.

The child services agency started a case in 1999 after finding that Shanecia
was medically neglected, said John Goad, deputy director for child
protection. The girl had severe cerebral palsy, with no muscle or speech
control, and had a history of seizures.

The agency helped transfer her medical records to a hospital closer to the
McClellans' neighborhood and helped install a phone in their home so
emergency medical help could be summoned if needed.

In April 2001, McClellan gave birth to twins who tested positive for cocaine,
Goad said. The agency visited her home 33 times, and McClellan passed each of
eight random drug tests, he said.

The agency closed the case in June after determining there was no risk of
harm to the children, he said.

``We have some very serious concerns about our handling of the case,'' Goad
said. ``It's just terribly disturbing to us to see a child die after our
having been as intensely involved with her as recently as we were.''

The case has similarities to cases in Florida, whose child protection agency
has faced months of criticism and calls for sweeping reform.

A case worker in Polk County, Fla., was fired Friday and charged with
falsifying records after allegedly lying about a home visit to check out an
abuse complaint. Alfredo Montez, 2, was killed July 1, the day the case
worker wrote that she visited his family.

In April, the Florida agency reported 5-year-old Rilya Wilson missing and
acknowledged that it lost track of her for 15 months. She is still missing.



07/13/02 18:11 EDT


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