INDIANAPOLIS — 60 children died as a result of abuse and neglect in 2021, according to a report from the Indiana Department of Child Services released Friday.
A total of 271 child deaths were investigated by DCS; 281 deaths were investigated in 2020.
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DCS is legally required to review all child fatalities that fit under the following circumstances:
- For children under 3 years of age: the death is sudden, unexpected or unexplained, or involves allegations of abuse and neglect.
- For children age 3 or older: the death involves allegations of abuse or neglect.
Of the 60 deaths, DCS found 22 were due to abuse and 38 were due to neglect. Allen County in northeast Indiana had the highest number of deaths with 11, followed by Marion County with 10 and Lake County with seven.
In most cases (63%), the death occurred in the victim's home and 67% of the victims were 3-years-old or younger.
The full report can be found here.
