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De Blasio unveils ACS reforms after death of Myls Dobson – Metro US

De Blasio unveils ACS reforms after death of Myls Dobson

Credit: Facebook Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled Administration for Children’s Services reforms after an investigation into the death of 4-year-old Myls Dobson.
Credit: Facebook

The Administration for Children’s Services missed signs a 4-year-old boy who died this month after being tortured may have been at risk, officials said Friday.

A preliminary review of the casedid not fault individual case workers overseeing Myls Dobson’s care but caused Mayor Bill de Blasio to unveil a set of ACS reforms.

“We want to learn from this tragedy and make changes as a result,” de Blasio said.

Myls died this month in the care of his father’s girlfriend, who told investigators she starved him for days and bound, beat and burned him. Myls was left in Kryzie King’s care when his father, Okee Wade, was put in jail in mid-December.

King is being held on charges of assault and reckless endangerment.

Wade was awarded custody of Myls in August 2012 and social workers were ordered to monitor his parenting for a year.

Officials said their review of the case found Myls was well cared for when ACS workers were monitoring him, until Aug. 17, 2013.

But the report found that ACS was unaware Wade was in jail from September 2012 to February 2013. His girlfriend at the time told case workers Wade was at work.

After the report was released, de Blasio announced that ACS supervision won’t end without review and approval from a Family Court judge. ACS access to court databases will be expanded.

Reforms also include efforts to increase interagency collaboration between ACS and the corrections, probation, heath, education and police departments, including a Children’s Cabinet to facilitate partnerships.

The city will also review all current cases with court-ordered ACS supervision and conduct a review oft he Family Support Unit.

The mayor also plans on introducing legislation that will strengthen the welfare agency’s authority to supervise parents.

Follow Anna Sanders on Twitter @AnnaESanders