• Font Size    
E-mail

Close Window E-mail This Page

ACS: Long Road To Tragedy For Nixzmary Brown

Required fields are marked with an asterisk(*)

The information you provide will be used only to send the requested e-mail and will not be used to send any other e-mail communications. Read more in our Privacy Policy

Send E-mail

   Print     Share +    Comments
Jan 30, 2006 7:06 pm US/Eastern

ACS: Long Road To Tragedy For Nixzmary Brown

NEW YORK (CBS) ― During a marathon city council hearing Monday, the Adminstration for Childrens Services released its preliminary findings into the blunders leading up to the death of 7-year-old Nixzmary Brown, admitting the agency missed several chances to save her.

"ACS cannot conduct business as usual," said Commissioner John Mattingly. "We have lost a child we could have saved."

According to the report, the first chance was in may of last year when Nixzmary's school reported she'd been absent for 46 days. After investigating, however, ACS determined Nixzmary and her siblings were well cared for and the case was closed.

"There is, in my view, no way you can unfound an educational neglect case when the child had missed 46 days of school," said Mattingly. "But that's what we did."

The second chance came in December, when Nixzmary's school informed ACS she had bruises on her face. Her stepfather, Cesar Rodriguez, was interviewed at the school and all the children were returned home.

On December 8th and 9th, ACS attempted to visit the home, but no one answered.

No further attempts were made until December 21, when ACS was informed Nixzmary and her siblings had missed two weeks of school.

Again, no one answered at the home

Two more failed visits came on December 23 and then on January 5, and though ACS workers talked about getting a search warrant, no one followed through.

Another attempt to visit the home was going to be made on January 10, but was rescheduled for the 11th-the day Nixzmary died.

"We've learned we have to more aggressive," said City Councilman Bill de Blasio. "The moment there's a shadow of a doubt something might be happening to a child we have to take action."

The ACS Commissioner admitted to some systemic problems he's now addressing, including the fact that caseloads are too high and workers need better training, a flawed computer system and squabbling among agencies that respond to abuse cases.

(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

Add Comment

here. here. Need a log in? Register here
  •  * Will not be displayed with comment
  •  * e.g. (http://www.mywebsite.com)
  •  
  • Click here to refresh with new letters

Show Comments (0)

Close Window Login


Close Window Flag Comment


loading...
You need the latest Flash player to view video content.
Click here to download.

Click here to bypass this detection if you already have the latest Flash Player.

Top Stories

Top News Stories

© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.