“This death happened on my watch,” Bobby Cagle, director of the county Department of Children and Family Services, told the Board of Supervisors. The audit noted staffing deficiencies and higher than recommended caseloads for social workers in Palmdale and Lancaster, a concern county officials have pledged to address in the past. The court documents on Noah’s case are not publicly available because state law requires a lengthy review before releasing full case files in child fatality cases. DCFS officials are seeking permission from the court to do so, spokeswoman Michelle Vega said. The social worker who handled Noah’s case, Susan Johnson, also couldn’t be reached for comment.

Source: Los Angeles Times July 17, 2019 00:19 UTC