Why won't CPS relase information about foster child death?

Why won't CPS relase information about foster child death?

Last Update: 7/21 9:34 pm



Child Protective Services will not reveal whether it had received reports of previous abuse at the foster home where 3-year-old Serenity Garcia was found dead Sunday.

Her 4-year-old brother Isaiah was asleep in the bedroom. Police said both children were victims of long-term abuse, and the children's grandmother, Maria Garcia, said she reported suspicions of abuse to CPS workers, but they did nothing.

Police said the couple fled to Mexico with Carla's three biological children.

Elena Acosta, the assistant director for the Kern County Department of Human Services, which oversees CPS, said the department is not allowed to release any information to the public about any of its cases unless a death has been ruled to be as a direct result of abuse or neglect.

Serenity's death has been ruled a homicide, but CPS has not released anything about the case so far. Acosta said CPS has to follow the law, which strictly prohibits any information being released about foster kids.

"The law protects children that come into the child protective services system by protecting their confidentiality, and children in care, who are in foster care, have the right to privacy and the laws are set up for the protection of the children," she said.

Under a 2008 law, CPS is obligated to release information about inspections, reports of abuse and other details in foster child murders, but only if the involved law enforcement agencies give them permission. It’s unclear if that will happen in Serenity's case.

In the last two years there have been two other local foster child killed from neglect or abuse.

Serenity’s funeral will be held Friday at 10 a.m. at Greenlawn Cemetery in northeast Bakersfield.

The public is welcome to attend.

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