Arizona lawmakers probe child safety after three tragic deaths
PHOENIX, Ariz. (KVOA) – State lawmakers are launching an investigation into Arizona’s child protection systems following the deaths of three children this year.
A Phoenix senator announced plans for the first stakeholder meeting of an oversight committee on the Department of Child Safety, set for next month.
The investigation comes in response to the deaths of 14-year-old Emily Pike, who was found dead after running away from her state-licensed group home. Zariah Dodd, a pregnant 16-year-old, was shot and killed in a park after leaving her state-licensed group home. Rebekah Baptise, 10, was found dead after the Department of Public Safety reportedly received multiple reports of abuse in her home over time.
The meeting aims to identify immediate safety improvements and develop long-term reforms to prevent future incidents, officials said.
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