Foster boy's death spurs probe

WEST VALLEY CITY — Multiple agencies are investigating what led to the death of an 18-month-old boy who stopped breathing while in foster care.

The boy, who with his 5-year-old sister had been in the foster home since February, died at Primary Children's Medical Center at 9:40 a.m. Thursday, Division of Child and Family Services spokeswoman Carol Sisco said.

Police went to the home near 3400 South and 6400 West after receiving a 911 call Wednesday night, Capt. Craig Black said. Craig declined to give any details about what officers found at the home, other than to say the boy was unconscious and had some visible injuries.

Three other children — the boy's sister and the two biological children of the foster parents — were also in the home, but all were sleeping when police arrived, Black said. None of those children showed any signs of injury.

The foster mother was the only adult in the home when police arrived, Black said.

"She has explained to us what happened and at this point, our investigation is to verify whether or not that did happen," said Black.

"When a child dies, it is normal practice for us to conduct an investigation to why that child died. We do that with DCFS and the medical examiner."

An autopsy was being conducted Thursday, Sisco said.

"Right now, we don't know if he fell or if it was abuse or what," said Sisco.

The agency licensed the foster parents to care for up to four foster children in October 2002, she added. No complaints had ever been filed against them. Sisco did not know if the two children were the first to be placed with the family.

Under DCFS policy, an independent agency called Sipapu will investigate the death for the state. Sipapu is called in situations when DCFS cannot investigate on its own due to a conflict of interest. In this case, a conflict exists because DCFS placed the children in foster care and also licensed the family to provide that care, Sisco said.

DCFS notified the boy's biological parents of his death Thursday and made sure the mother was able to spend time with her daughter Thursday afternoon, Sisco said. The agency has been working to reunite the family since taking the children in February, she added. The 5-year-old daughter is now in shelter care and will be relocated to another foster home, Sisco added.

The two biological children of the foster parents have also been removed from the home and are temporarily staying with family. The DCFS Office of Licensing put a hold on placing any future foster children in the residence pending the outcome of the investigation, Sisco said.

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Contributing: Pat Reavy.

E-mail: jdobner@desnews.com