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Lawmaker demands child welfare changes
A young boy was found dead and buried in an Aberdeen backyard after being returned to his biological parents from foster care, prompting a state lawmaker to call for immediate changes to child welfare laws.
ABERDEEN, Wash. - The Grays Harbor County community is outraged following the death of a young boy.
What we know:
The victim, identified as Aiden Bevins, had spent time in foster care before being returned to his biological parents, according to State Representative Jim Walsh (R-District 19). An active investigation into the child's death is currently underway.
"A little boy, Aiden Bevins, was discovered. He had been buried informally, not in a good way, in the back of the backyard in a house in Aberdeen," said Walsh.
FOX 13 Seattle spoke to the Grays Harbor County medical examiner's office, who confirmed they started the investigation into Bevins' death on May 15.
Parallels to the disappearance of Oakley Carlson
The backstory:
The circumstances surrounding Bevins' death have drawn immediate comparisons to the 2021 disappearance of Oakley Carlson, a local girl who went missing and is presumed dead.
Carlson’s body was never recovered.
Her parents served prison time for exposing their children to methamphetamine, but they were never charged in connection with her death.
Walsh noted that community members are deeply concerned by the similarities between the two Grays Harbor County cases.
Big picture view:
Walsh is calling for immediate changes to state law, targeting the Keeping Families Together Act. Passed by the Washington Legislature in 2021 and implemented in 2023, the law aimed to address racial and economic injustices within the child welfare system.
However, Walsh argues the legislation restricts the state's ability to protect vulnerable minors.
"Child Protective Services and the Department of Children, Youth, and Families—DCYF are kind of handcuffed on how they can remove a child from a troubled home environment," Walsh said. "And there is a lot of concerns that this 'Keeping Families Together Act,' while well-intended, has had the opposite effect on children’s wellbeing," he added.
What they're saying:
The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) has not provided details regarding the specifics of the Bevins case.
FOX 13 Seattle reached out for comment, but the agency stated it is unable to speak on the matter due to the ongoing active investigations.
FOX 13 Seattle also reached out to the Aberdeen Police Department for updates on the death investigation into Bevins. However, they did not respond.
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The Source: Information in this story comes from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle reporter AJ Janavel.