The number of Hoosier children dying from abuse or neglect grew 20% in 2021 following a similar-sized drop the prior year, according to new data from the Indiana Department of Child Services.
The 2021 DCS Child Fatality Report, which covers the Jan. 1 through Dec. 31 period, shows 60 Hoosier children died directly as a result of abuse or neglect, including two abused children and five neglected children in Lake County and one abused child in LaPorte County.
The statewide total is well above the 50 child abuse and neglect deaths recorded in 2020, but it nearly matches the 61 abuse and neglect deaths Indiana tallied in 2019 and is down almost 8% from the 65 child abuse and neglect deaths in 2018.
Altogether, 271 child deaths that occurred during 2021 were investigated by local and state officials to determine whether suspicions of child abuse or neglect were valid, down from 281 investigations in 2020.
The 34-page Child Fatality Report details the causes and circumstances of each of the 60 child deaths in which abuse or neglect was substantiated.
It does not, however, specify the names or hometowns of the children, or the legal dispositions of the perpetrators.
"The death of any child is a great loss for the families and communities," said DCS Director Terry Stigdon. "We need to be able to learn from this report and make meaningful and lasting change to increase awareness of the risk factors that lead to these tragedies."
According to the report, 18% of the 22 fatally abused Hoosier children were younger than 1 year old. Of the 38 child-neglect deaths, 32% never reached their first birthdays.
The victims in 40 of the 60 fatalities (67%) were 3 years old or younger, continuing a state and national trend of young children being most at risk of dying from abuse or neglect, according to the report.
The majority of children dying from abuse suffered fatal head trauma, followed by stabbing, beating and/or kicking, and gunshot wounds, the report said.
The largest share of children dying from neglect either were improperly restrained in a vehicle; suffocated, generally as a result of unsafe sleep practices; drowned; or ingested poison, alcohol or drugs.
The perpetrator in the majority of child abuse and neglect deaths was the child's biological parent or the parent's partner, the report said.
It found that the top risk factors among caregivers leading to a child's death from abuse or neglect were substance abuse, low income, unemployment and a history of domestic violence.
Lack of supervision also frequently was cited in death investigations, especially in the eight child drownings, along with improper co-sleeping arrangements and driving while intoxicated.
DCS had a prior substantiated history with the families of 15 of the 60 children (25%) before their deaths, according to the report.
Indiana law requires all Hoosiers to report suspected cases of child abuse or neglect to the state's child abuse hotline at 800-800-5556, or to local police.
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