Maine lawmakers are calling for an investigation into the child protective services division of the Department of Health and Human Services following the recent deaths of several children.
In a letter to the Legislature's Government Oversight Committee, Democratic state Sen. Chip Curry, of Belfast, says the state's child welfare division has failed to protect five children who died in June, including a 3-year-old in Stockton Springs.
Curry is calling for a probe of the state agency, which he criticized for not implementing various investigative procedures that were recommended by the state's Child Welfare Services Ombudsman last year.
Curry's letter to the oversight committee comes as the panel is already scheduled to consider a review at next Wednesday's meeting.
The committee authorized an investigation into the agency by the legislature's investigative arm three years ago and that probe is sill ongoing.
The director of the agency and the child welfare ombudsman are expected to participate in next week's meeting.
