Welfare workers charged in gaunt NY girl’s death

NEW YORK (AP) — A special investigative grand jury will be convened to look at evidence of what a prosecutor calls potential “systemic failure” at New York City’s child welfare agency after the death of an emaciated 4-year-old girl.

The Brooklyn district attorney said today that former workers with the Administration for Children’s Services didn’t do enough to help Marchella Brett-Pierce, who weighed 18 pounds when she died in September.

A former caseworker and supervisor are charged with criminally negligent homicide and official misconduct. The girl’s grandmother has been indicted on a manslaughter charge.

The agency says its workers live up to the “difficult and heartbreaking challenge” of protecting abused children every day. It says “appropriate action” is taken if staffers fail that responsibility.

The medical examiner says Marchella suffered from child abuse syndrome. Her mother was indicted in November on murder and other charges. She has said she’s innocent.