Rudderless Child Safety Agency

The death of 3-year-old Elijah J. Johnson while under the supervision of the Los Angeles County agency responsible for protecting neglected and abused children is a tragedy that should push the Board of Supervisors to action. The board should approve a new leadership team for the Department of Children and Family Services before public confidence is further eroded by this, the second death of a child in foster care in 13 months.

Add to this case the unexpected resignation of the child safety agency’s embattled director, Peter Digre, who said last week he will depart June 30, effectively making his leadership moot. His decision leaves open the top two positions--his own and that of a newly created deputy director. The deputy, it was hoped, would function as a chief operating officer to strengthen follow-up, an area in which Digre had sometimes been lacking.

The agency should not be allowed to proceed rudderless during a long search for someone to replace Digre. A temporary director, a children’s advocate with some real stature, should be brought in immediately. Retired county Supervisor Ed Edelman, who created the Department of Children and Family Services, could be a name to start with. Top priority, as always, must go to the safety of the 75,000 children in foster care.

A new director will inherit plenty of problems despite the reforms instituted by Digre. Digre saw the agency’s budget doubled to nearly $1 billion, increased adoptions, required social workers to make monthly visits to foster children and mandated criminal background checks of foster parents.

Elijah’s mother said she had complained repeatedly about his treatment and threats to his safety in foster care. She had been fighting to regain custody of her son when he was scalded, reportedly by bathwater, over nearly half his body on April 25. He remained hospitalized until his death Monday. The child safety department requires all such complaints to be investigated by an emergency response technician. Did that happen?

The 23-year-old daughter of the foster mother surrendered to police Thursday and was held on murder and child abuse charges. In addition to the Police Department, an independent inspector general appointed by the supervisors is investigating. All records in such cases should be made public; the widest possible scrutiny is in itself a safeguard.

Child protection can be difficult, dangerous and thankless work. But it is hard to imagine more important work. The death of Elijah Johnson must lead to answers and reforms.