At Least 18 Kids Killed in Homes Monitored by the State

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — State records show that 18 children in Maine have been killed since 2007 in homes where child welfare officials knew of abuse or neglect.

The Portland Press Herald reports that documents provided by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services show that another 34 deaths that were ruled accidental or of natural causes had occurred in homes where abuse or neglect had been substantiated.

State child welfare ombudsman Christine Alberi said it's impossible to know if any of the deaths could have been preventable.

The deaths of 4-year-old Kendall Chick in December 2017 and 10-year-old Marissa Kennedy in February 2018 have sparked calls for reform in the state's child welfare system.