Deaths of children in WA welfare system share a common pattern

In Soo Jin Hahn’s short life, over a dozen reports were made to Washington’s Child Protective Services from people who were concerned about her family.

Doctors, a nurse, a dietitian, a school counselor, an aunt and her grandmother reported they were worried 5-year-old Soo Jin was medically neglected and that the family’s children were being abused.

In all, the Department of Children, Youth and Families received 20 reports about the family before and after Soo Jin’s death, spokesperson Nancy Gutierrez said in an email.

According to DCYF, 12 of those reports were deemed insufficient to warrant a response or were duplicated reports; two prompted investigations; three resulted in interventions by caseworkers, but not full investigations; and three more were received after Soo Jin died.

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