Tennessee CPS Fail-Somora Smith case-chid death
“A jail inmate was reportedly urging child services to take custody of his children for weeks before his 18-month-old daughter allegedly died at the hands of her mother’s boyfriend.
Somara Smith could not be revived after Edward Benesch, 26, dropped her off at her great-aunt’s house in Dickson, Tennessee on Thursday, claimed he had fallen on the girl and fled.
Before the death, Somara’s father had called and written to the Department of Child Services for three weeks, begging for them to take his children into care, family members told The Tennessean
Edward Mays, 27, has spent six months behind bars for aggravated assault, burglary and failure to pay child support. Somara’s mother, Jill Smith, is also behind bars for failure to pay child support.
It meant that her six children had been in the custody of family members and her boyfriend, Benesch, was taking care of Somara at the time of the alleged abuse
Authorities later arrested Benesch and charged him with reckless homicide and child abuse.
Nina Overton, Somara’s cousin, said that she saw bruises on Somara’s face last week and took pictures but did not call authorities. She said the family had suspected abuse for weeks.
‘I’m still in shock about it,’ she said of Somara’s death. ‘It’s a sad situation because Jill (Smith) wasn’t taking care of these kids.
They didn’t ask to be brought into this world and they didn’t ask to be going through what they are going through. People need to pray for this family because it’s just so sad.’
Somara was dropped off at her great-aunt’s house at 7.45 a.m. on Thursday. He told her that he had fallen on the girl before leaving.
She had visible trauma to her head, back and chest, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Kristin Helm said, and authorities believe she was the victim of abuse at his home.
Child Service officials would not say whether the agency had been in contact with the family before Somara died, citing an ongoing investigation.
‘The department has opened an investigation into the fatality and is actively working this case in partnership with law enforcement,’ DCS interim Commissioner Jim Henry said.
‘We are confident in the safety of the child’s siblings and will continue to gather more information as we move forward.’
It is not the first time the department has come under fire.
In October, a group of local officials and child advocates called for a meeting with former DCS Commissioner Kate O’Day over the department’s handling of six abuse cases.
The agency’s internal review found caseworkers acted properly in all but one case, but after the public outcry and criticism, O’Day resigned in February.”
[Daily Mail 3/8/13]
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