DCF Criticized After Deaths of 2 Girls

0:00Two young girls in Connecticut, 11-year-old Jacqueline Mimi Torres, and 12-year-old Eve Rogers, died recently under tragic circumstances, and both cases involved the Department of Children and Families. Mimi's malnourished body turned up in New Britain last year, while Eve passed away in her Enfield home on March 18. Lawmakers and advocates are now digging deep into whether DCF handled things right, since Eve's case got flagged just a week before her death. And Mimi's family had been on their radar since birth. High-stab turnover is hitting DCF hard, with half the workers bailing in their first two years because the job's brutal. Case workers deal with massive caseloads, 16-hour days, and constant burnout, leaving them scared they'll miss red flags. One anonymous worker said they feel overwhelmed, neglecting their own lives just to keep kids safe, while supervisors often work remote, cutting off. On-the-job guidance for newbies. Advocates like child-advocate Christina Guillo blast DCF for skimping unrequired visits to kids, parents, schools, and doctors, which messes up their decision-making.

1:07Families sometimes stonewall access, and out-of-state records slow things down. Meanwhile, a federal audit showed only 41% of kids mental health needs get met, fueling calls for urgent fixes. Lawmakers are pushing House Bill 5,000 for big reforms, like mandatory training, a public online dashboard tracking DCF performance, and better resources after Mimi's death and rising missing kids. Eve's stepfather faces charges of sexual assault, with DNA evidence linking him as police probe her death and DCF reviews its week-long investigation. The Office of the Child Advocate is probing both deaths amid these workforce gaps that risk more catastrophes. Connecticut's got to step up with stable staff and services to protect its most vulnerable kids before another story like this drops. Local news, powered by AI. This is Hartford News Today. I'm Cory with The Story.