UT- Three arrested in death of abused 12 year old.

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Shane Peterson, 46, faces multiple offenses including child abuse homicide, a first-degree felony and two counts of aggravated child abuse, second-degree felonies.

Nichole Scott, 50, was also arrested for child abuse homicide and aggravated child abuse, plus additional felonies.

Tyler Peterson, 21, was arrested for child abuse homicide and aggravated child abuse, among other charges, officials stated.
[snip]
"In most of the screenshots, the child is only wearing a heavily saturated diaper," arresting documents stated. "The child can be seen curling up on the carpetless floor of the room, which lacked bedding or blankets. Several screenshots also showed sores on the child's back."

Conversations between Peterson, Scott and a brother uncovered by police discussed hitting and beating the child with a pinata stick, not feeding him and only giving him one-third of a cup of water or a piece of bread with mustard, documents state.
Father, stepmother, brother accused of abusing child to death in West Haven

Other relatives have identified the victim as 12-year-old Gavin Peterson. A [redacted funding site] campaign* was set up by Gavin's aunt on Thursday.

"While they await justice, the family is picking up the shattered pieces by planning funeral services and arranging therapy sessions for Gavin's older siblings, who've also suffered from abuse and neglect while in their care," the fundraiser says.
3 family members arrested, accused of causing death of emaciated 12-year-old boy
 
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The boy’s “internal organs had shut down completely,” and he was “visibly emaciated,” documents obtained by the outlet said.

Investigators found text messages between Peterson, Scott and the boy’s older brother, Tyler Peterson, 21, discussing “hitting and beating the child with a pinata stick, not feeding him and only giving him one-third of a cup of water or a piece of bread with mustard,” documents obtained by KSTU said.
 
The ribbons on the fence are blue for more than one reason.

“I was planning on blue for abuse awareness, and we found out it was also Gavin’s favorite color,” Brindy Lipham said.

Lipham’s kids went to school with Gavin, but she said he had been homeschooled for quite some time.

Once they heard what happened, they wanted to pay their respects.

“It’s hard for my littles to understand what’s going on,” Lipham said. “They’re heartbroken.”
kutv.com

Community pays respects to 12-year-old West Haven boy who died

Police said 12-year-old Gavin Peterson was neglected and abused by his father, stepmother, and brother, which led to his death.
kutv.com kutv.com
 
The district also noted that "prior to the student being withdrawn from the district, multiple complaints were filed by school employees with the Utah Division of Child and Family Services related to suspected abuse and neglect of this child."

Counselors are being made available to any student or school employee "who have been affected by this horrific tragedy," the district said.

A spokeswoman for the Division of Child and Family Services says privacy laws prevent the agency from talking about any specific case. However, the agency noted that "the loss of any child impacts and devastates us. This is tragic for so many from the family and the community to all of those involved. The Utah Division of Child and Family Services works with children and families during some of their most vulnerable moments.
www.ksl.com

Charges filed in West Haven boy's death; school district had reported family to DCFS

Three family members of a 12-year-old West Haven boy who died after years of abuse, according to police, are now facing criminal charges. His school district says it had previously made reports to the state.
www.ksl.com www.ksl.com

*Utah Domestic Violence Coalition operates a confidential statewide, 24-hour domestic abuse hotline at 1-800-897-LINK (5465). Resources are also available online: udvc.org. The statewide child abuse and neglect hotline is 1-855-323-DCFS (3237).
 
not surprising. Once again, abusive adult caretakers pulled a child out of school to ostensibly "home school" as soon as mandated reporters started reporting concerns.

Home schooling being used as a cover for isolation and abuse/neglect.

There has to be a better way to track children that are pulled from school so that mandated reporters still set eyes on them and can ensure they are ACTUALLY being schooled and not just being held prisoner in their own homes.
 
imstilla.grandma said:
The district also noted that "prior to the student being withdrawn from the district, multiple complaints were filed by school employees with the Utah Division of Child and Family Services related to suspected abuse and neglect of this child."

Counselors are being made available to any student or school employee "who have been affected by this horrific tragedy," the district said.

A spokeswoman for the Division of Child and Family Services says privacy laws prevent the agency from talking about any specific case. However, the agency noted that "the loss of any child impacts and devastates us. This is tragic for so many from the family and the community to all of those involved. The Utah Division of Child and Family Services works with children and families during some of their most vulnerable moments.
www.ksl.com

Charges filed in West Haven boy's death; school district had reported family to DCFS

Three family members of a 12-year-old West Haven boy who died after years of abuse, according to police, are now facing criminal charges. His school district says it had previously made reports to the state.
www.ksl.com www.ksl.com

*Utah Domestic Violence Coalition operates a confidential statewide, 24-hour domestic abuse hotline at 1-800-897-LINK (5465). Resources are also available online: udvc.org. The statewide child abuse and neglect hotline is 1-855-323-DCFS (3237).
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As a Utah resident this is a tragedy to hear
 
Did any family/relatives ever call in a report in all this time? Because this didn't all happen over a short period of time.

And why wasn't a social worker visiting this boy regularly, at the very least? Because I do believe school employees filed reports.

I hope the abusers all serve maximum sentences.
 
What did the Division of Child and Family Services do to make sure this child was doing well?
Did they go to the home to see that things were all right for this child to be schooled at home, to check that he looked well-fed and healthy? Did they check on his home schooling -- his books and papers, etc. -- to make sure he was being taught at grade level and doing well with his studies? Did they talk with him, see his "bed room," etc., etc.?
Of course the records are private, I just wonder if there are any such records which might throw a red flag with the care of this child...
 
I am so sick about this case! The DCFS is there to protect children, so what in the heck happened when they had been warned multiple times by family members and by school officials?
 
In a statement summarizing its involvement in the case, DCFS said Gavin came from a two-household family and had a “complicated family history.” The division reportedly worked with both households at several points in Gavin’s life as early as 2013. However, the report only included information relevant to Gavin in the Peterson household where his death occurred.

Below is a timeline of interactions as outlined by the Divison of Child and Family Services:

2019​

  • May 28: A DCFS intake worker received the first report of suspected child abuse and neglect in the Peterson home. Investigators determined Scott had physically abused a child in the home. Gavin Peterson was not the victim, according to DCFS. The Peterson family accepted voluntary in-home services to address safety concerns in the home.
  • June: About one month after accepting voluntary in-home services, a review found the safety concerns had been resolved and the case was closed.

2020​

  • Feb. 27: A call was made to DCFS with concerns about Gavin at another household that did not involve Shane Peterson or Nichole Scott. DCFS found Gavin had been a victim of abuse and that a caregiver failed to protect him from said abuse.
  • May 27: A Juvenile Court ordered both households to participate in DCFS in-home services.
  • Aug. 24: While receiving in-home services, DCFS received a call from someone reporting concerns about Gavin and his treatment in the Peterson home. An investigation was not opened as the information “did not meet the criteria required by Utah state law to open an investigation.” This information was shared with the DCFS caseworker assigned to the Peterson family.

2021​

  • May 21: The Peterson family successfully completed their mandated in-home services and Gavin remained in the custody of Shane Peterson. The case was closed by the Juvenile Court. No other reports were made until September 2022.

2022​

  • Sept. 2: DCFS received a report from someone concerned about Gavin’s well-being after “observing some of his behaviors.” The report “did not meet the criteria legally required to open a DCFS investigation.”

2023​

  • March 28: A new report was made against the Peterson family alleging physical neglect of Gavin. The report was substantial enough for DCFS to open a new investigation into the allegations.
  • March 30: A second call reported physical neglect against the Peterson family. The new information was added to the open investigations. An investigator spoke separately with the people who made the reports but neither had additional information or concerns.
  • March 31: Gavin was interviewed by DCFS at his school without his parents present. Gavin did not disclose anything regarding abuse or neglect to the investigator.
  • May 3: A DCFS investigator visited the Peterson home and interviewed Shane Peterson. DCFS’ report did not disclose information regarding this interview.
  • May 8: DCFS received a third report alleging physical abuse of Gavin Peterson.
  • May 15: A DCFS investigator went to the Peterson family home for a second time and interviewed all adults in the home. Gavin was also interviewed for a second time outside the presence of any of his alleged abusers. The case was determined “unsupported” by DCFS and closed because the investigator did not have evidence to indicate Gavin had been abused or neglected.
The Division of Child and Family Services did not receive any further reports until being alerted that Gavin was in the emergency room with fatal injuries on July 9, 2024. Gavin Peterson died later that same day.

DCFS opened a new investigation and concluded that Gavin was a victim of “severe and chronic physical abuse and severe and chronic physical neglect” at the hands of Shane Peterson, Nichole Scott, and his adult brother Tyler Peterson, who lived in the home.

“DCFS made a supported finding because there was a pattern of abuse that took place over the period of time DCFS did not have contact with Gavin,” DCFS said in its report. “It was also determined that a relative living outside the Peterson home failed to protect Gavin from this abuse and neglect. DCFS made a supported finding because the relative had been in the home several times and witnessed Gavin being physically abused and neglected and did not reach out to the authorities to do anything to try and stop the abuse from continuing.”

 
For six years Gavin was allowed to suffer at the hands of these monsters?

In addition to locking up the family members and throwing away the key - heads need to roll at DCFS. They all need to be cell mates!! I'm furious and sick to my stomach at the same time.
 
Knox said:
For six years Gavin was allowed to suffer at the hands of these monsters?

In addition to locking up the family members and throwing away the key - heads need to roll at DCFS. They all need to be cell mates!! I'm furious and sick to my stomach at the same time.
Click to expand...
We see the failure of a system that relies on a child to disclose and case workers to actually do something beyond round filing every report that comes across their desks.

MOO
 
So sad. Kids almost never disclose abuse, they fear more abuse. They are afraid. Poor kid, it seems like people did report his neglect.

I had a kid, I used to try to report, he was 13, he told me not to "bother". The CPS would come get him, take him to "Christmas Box House" for a week or two, and he would be back with his Dad anyway. And it would be worse. Nothing I could do.
 
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