Governor admits the state may have mishandled deadly abuse case

Governor Vilsack admitted this morning on national television the state may’ve mishandled a child abuse case that resulted in a two-year-old’s death. Vilsack said Iowa legislators need to take a new look at the standards in determining what may be best for a child’s welfare. He says the system was changed from one that investigates to one that assesses problems. He says the idea was to keep families intact, but he says that may “be an inappropriate strategy in some situations.”Some say the state’s lack of action may’ve allowed the death last month of a Spirit Lake girl, whose mother & her boyfriend are charged with murder. Speaking on N-B-C’s “Today Show,” Vilsack said changes may be needed in how state social services officials deal with reports of child abuse. He says different people had different pieces of information in the case and the right hand didn’t communicate with the left hand. Vilsack says they need to do a better job of communicating in these cases.Spirit Lake residents are angered because reports are circulating that at least six reports were filed on the possible abuse of Shelby Duis, yet she was never removed from the home. An autopsy found she died of injuries sustained over several weeks, perhaps months.