Child Safety Bill Proposed

Henry T. Perea introduced a bill Wednesday. It would require that a review be done any time a child dies from abuse or neglect. 

The idea for the bill came from the Seth Ireland case in Fresno. Seth was killed by his mother’s boyfriend, despite calls to Child Protective Services that the boy was being abused.

Seth’s case lead to a state audit and now a bill to protect other children. 

“As we did research throughout the state, we found that the number of child deaths that occurred within CPS are very alarming,” Perea said.

In his bill, Perea pointed out that in 2009, the year Seth was killed, 117 children died from abuse or neglect in California. Some counties, like Fresno, review these deaths to see what changes need to be made. But not every county does that. 

“These reviews are exactly what we need to find the problems that exist within CPS agencies,” Perea said.

Fresno County’s child welfare system made changes after Seth died to improve communication and policies when allegations of abuse are made.

“I think the climate statewide and nationally, that we learn from child deaths, that we have an ability to make sure that if there's something within our power to change that we would make those changes,” said Howard Himes, director for Child Welfare Services in Fresno County. 

The attorney for Seth’s father, Warren Paboojian, told CBS47 “Anything that can better the system, my client and I support.”