Plans to improve state child services agency set to become law

INDIANAPOLIS | State lawmakers have given the Department of Child Services all the new tools they believe the agency needs to protect Hoosier children from abuse and neglect.

EDITORIAL: Report drives home urgency of DCS reforms

The recent Indiana Department of Child Services report showing 40 children died of abuse in Indiana — five of them in Northwest Indiana — in a 12-month period should cause anyone reading it to shed a tear for those children.

More than 350 attend forum on child abuse, neglect

GARY | William Kellibrew IV was 10 years old the day he says he stared down a gun and begged for his life.

State report: 5 region children died of abuse, neglect injuries in a year

INDIANAPOLIS | Northwest Indiana was home to five of Indiana's 40 children who died of abuse or neglect between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011, a state report released Monday shows.

Hobart vigil raises awareness of child neglect, abuse

House OKs abuse disclosure requirement for child custody

INDIANAPOLIS | Another recommendation of the Legislature's 2012 Department of Child Services study committee is edging closer toward becoming law.

Some child abuse reports may get to bypass hotline

INDIANAPOLIS | Child abuse reports by employees of schools, medical facilities, courts or law enforcement could bypass the state's centralized abuse hotline and be referred directly to a local investigator under legislation approved 47-0 by the Indiana Senate Tuesday.

EDITORIAL: Keep up pressure for DCS reforms

Legislation to bring necessary reforms to the Department of Child Services has fortunately cleared the first hurdles in the Indiana General Assembly.

Appeals court rejects sentence reduction request in LaPorte coach sex case

INDIANAPOLIS | A former LaPorte High School volleyball coach, convicted of four felonies following a two-year sexual relationship with a student-athlete, must serve his full 21-year prison sentence, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Friday.

GUEST COMMENTARY: DCS study committee suggests real reforms

When the Department of Child Services Interim Study Committee began its work back in August, many feared its work would be an exercise in futility.

Volunteer child advocate program wins federal grant

INDIANAPOLIS | A Northwest Indiana program that deploys volunteers to advocate in courts on behalf of abused or neglected children will share in a $40,000 federal grant.

LaPorte High athletic director may face trial in failure to report abuse

INDIANAPOLIS | The Indiana Court of Appeals on Monday cleared the way for a trial to determine whether the LaPorte High School athletic director should have reported child abuse he allegedly knew took place.

Appeals court OKs Lebo trial in LaPorte HS volleyball sex case

INDIANAPOLIS | The Indiana Court of Appeals gave the go-ahead Friday for a trial to determine whether a former LaPorte High School volleyball coach failed to report an illegal sexual relationship between another coach and a student-athlete.

Hobart man charged with molesting girl starting when she was 10

HOBART | A 47-year-old Hobart man sexually molested a girl starting when she was 10 years old, police said.

EDITORIAL: Payne's final reform for DCS

James Payne offered the necessary next reform for the Indiana Department of Child Services — by resigning from the agency he founded.

Reforms to child abuse hotline may include immediate local assistance

INDIANAPOLIS | The Department of Child Services would retain its centralized child abuse hotline, but some community professionals could get immediate assistance from a local DCS worker under a hotline reform plan announced Monday by Republicans studying agency operations.

Indiana DCS director resigns over involvement in case

INDIANAPOLIS | The director of the Indiana Department of Child Services resigned Monday amid allegations he improperly intervened in a DCS neglect case involving his grandchildren.

State AG to take over appellate cases for DCS

INDIANAPOLIS | Attorney General Greg Zoeller inked a deal with the Department of Child Services on Thursday to represent the agency in cases before the Indiana Court of Appeals and Supreme Court.

DOUG ROSS: Toll free call for DCS is still a long distance

Other than the Department of Child Services brass, does anyone really like the centralized hotline for reporting suspected child abuse and neglect? I have heard from a number of people who oppose it.

Bond set at $1M for Portage abuse suspect

VALPARAISO | The 21-year-old man said he was pleased to finally see Portage resident Christopher Truman behind bars Thursday on charges of molesting him and three other children over a period of several years.