CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cuyahoga County officials on Friday announced they were implementing several changes to the Division of Children and Family Services that were recommended by a panel of child-welfare experts reviewing the death of 4-year-old Aniya Day-Garrett.
The changes include:
* Housing a deputy sheriff at DCFS and hiring 10 retired law enforcement officers to help with DCFS investigations
* Hiring extra DCFS staff to reduce caseloads. The goal will be to hire 12 more case workers within 90 days to bring the total number of child-protection specialists to 500. Staff levels will be continuously monitored.
* Having newly hired case workers work with experienced case workers for 6 months before handling cases on their own.
* Making efforts to include all family members in investigations, including interviews with mothers, fathers and children.
* Working closely with local police, community members. Also using geographically-related case assignments where possible.
* Participating in a program meant to educate people required by law to report suspected abuses, such as day-care center workers, about their obligations.
County Executive Armond Budish assembled the panel following Aniya's March 11 death. The girl suffered a stroke triggered by what police said was blunt force trauma to her head while in the care of her mother, Sierra Day, and Day's boyfriend, Deonte Lewis. Day and Lewis are charged with aggravated murder in the girl's death.
At the time she died, the girl appeared to be emaciated, had scald marks on her feet and legs, a large bruise near her eye and a cut on her face, according to a police report.
The case prompted Aniya's father, Mickhal Garrett, to call for reforms at DCFS, which had received three reports of abuse against Aniya in 2017, but did not find cause to remove her from Day's home.
Budish announced a series of changes to the division in the wake of Aniya's death, including the hiring of more social workers and the formation of the panel, a community listening tour and an advisory committee.
The five-person expert panel concluded its work earlier this summer and issued its final report, which the county is not releasing until the conclusion of Day's and Lewis' criminal proceedings, county spokeswoman Mary Louise Madigan said.
"I remain deeply disturbed by the death of Aniya Day Garrett and want to protect any child in our County from coming to harm," Budish said in a news release. "Child safety must always be our first priority. We are following all of the recommendations of the panel."