Aaliya Goodwin. This is one of the 88 stories of children dying at the hands of their caregivers reported in the recent Safe Passage For Children investigation of child death in Minnesota. The report suggests why this tragedy is happening in our state and how we can make life safer for at risk children (in the read more at the end of the article). Please share this with your contacts and State Representative.
Aaliyah Goodwin, Kanabec and St. Louis County
Aaliyah Goodwin died from positional asphyxia in January 2022. Aaliyah was only five months old at the time of her death, but from the period 2015 to 2022 there had been eight reports to child protection for two older siblings regarding the parents’ excessive substance abuse.
Overall during the period of 2015-2021 four safety plans were noted in the court records, the oldest sibling was placed in foster care and returned home twice, the mother was charged with nine drug-related offenses and convicted of five, and the father was similarly charged seven times with two convictions. Because of the parents’ hostile and threatening behavior, law enforcement accompanied social workers during meetings with the family.
The case history includes that in March 2015, a report was received that the mother had been using drugs and leaving the oldest sibling, a boy, unattended, and both parents were charged and convicted for drug possession. This report was assigned to Family Assessment and a safety plan was developed. Several months later, officers went to the family home to arrest the mother on an active warrant.
The home was described as being in deplorable condition, and officers could not locate food or diapers for the child. A police protective hold was obtained and both parents were arrested. The father was charged with three counts of drug possession and one count of neglect of a child, but these charges were ultimately dismissed. The case was again assigned to Family Assessment. A plan was developed that the boy would be placed in voluntary relative foster care, though it was discovered shortly thereafter that that relative had given the child to another relative who was living at the parents’ apartment. They also
discovered that the mother had left treatment so may have been living there as well. The child was then put on a police hold, placed with a third relative, and a CHIPS petition was filed. The older child remained in placement for a year.
The Family Assessment plans included drug assessment and treatment. During two periods both parents were compliant with the treatment plan and had the older sibling returned to their care, but relapsed with similar incidents in 2016 and 2019.
In 2019 there were two additional reports to child protection including one for the grandmother’s use of methamphetamine while driving with the child. The investigation concluded with maltreatment determinations for neglect against both parents. A second child was born shortly thereafter. Again in late 2021 a
Family Assessment was opened for inadequate supervision due to a report that the oldest child was brought to school by a stranger, and went to a neighbor’s
house daily for food. A second report, which was screened out, alleged that the mother appeared to be too high on drugs to prepare a meal and dropped the third child, Aaliyah, then three months old, on the ground.In January 2022, the county opened another Family Assessment due to a report of domestic
violence between the parents.
A social worker met with the family and the mother agreed to do a chemical use assessment. Three days after this meeting, the mother was found passed out on the couch after using drugs and alcohol. Five month-old Aaliyah was squashed between the couch and her mother, and declared deceased shortly thereafter.
Chronic Neglect Recommendations
18. DHS establish statewide mandatory guidelines regarding chronic neglect that limit the number of opportunities parents have to address drug use, chronic mental illness, domestic violence or similar problems that make them incapable of nurturing their children and keeping them safe. Tolerance for severe neglect should be particularly limited and time-sensitive regarding infants and toddlers because of their urgent developmental needs.
Returning Children Before the Biological Home is Safe
Twenty-three, or 26% of the children in our sample had been previously removed from the home before being reunified with caregivers prior to death. In many of these situations, including those of Aaliyah Goodwin and the siblings of Tayvion Davis described above, reunification occurred despite obvious red flags that children would continue to be in danger. These cases illustrate the results of a philosophy that values family preservation over the safety of children.
The story of Kamari Gholston illustrates how this prac tice affects infants, who are particularly defenseless.
ALL ADULTS ARE THE PROTECTORS OF ALL CHILDREN
KARA Public Service Announcement (30 seconds)
KARA Signature Video (4 minute)
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