Indiana abuse, neglect deaths up 25 percent in 2014 to 66
The Indiana Department of Child Services says the number of Indiana children who died from abuse or neglect during the 2014 state fiscal year rose by more than 25 percent over the previous year.
The agency this week released a report saying 66 Indiana children died those ways in 2014, up from 49 the year before. The latest numbers show 12 children died from abuse, one fewer than in 2013, and 54 from neglect, compared with 36 the year before.
It says half of the abuse victims last year and nearly half of the neglect victims were 1 year old or younger.
The agency says four of the 2014 victims had prior histories with child welfare workers.
Department Director Mary Beth Bonaventura stresses that each of the deaths was preventable.
