MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - An 11-year-old girl who ran away from her Minnesota home after an argument with her mother has been found safe, but the investigation into her disappearance revealed a family history of abuse and the recent unexplained death of her 8-year-old brother.
Court records show that child protection services had been involved with the family for years following reports of abuse, violence and threats. Two petitions for protection had been filed since the February death of the 8-year-old boy, including a request for emergency protection in February and another petition filed last month. Yet the children were still living with their mother in Brooklyn Park, a suburb of Minneapolis.
The cause of the boy’s death is undetermined. There were no fresh signs of trauma when he died at his home, but the boy had scars on his back that indicated he had been hit with a belt or cord, along with other scars, according to court records. The investigation is ongoing.
The details publicly surfaced Monday after the girl ran away, and Brooklyn Park police arrived at the home to find “concerning living conditions,” including an uncooperative mother and an infestation of rodents and bugs. Police removed three of the girl’s siblings from the home. The mother was taken to a hospital, but authorities didn’t say why.
Neighbors found the girl about 12 hours later - more than 20 miles away - and brought her home. She was also placed in protective custody.
The Associated Press is not naming the children or the mother because court records cite sexual abuse. Records show the mother had six children, including the boy who died earlier this year.
In a statement Tuesday, Hennepin County deputy administrator of Health and Human Services Jennifer DeCubellis said child protection services is continuing efforts to protect the children. She said the county did “everything possible in the matter, including providing relevant facts and findings in court petitions.” She noted the system was complex, to ensure all voices are heard, and that “the juvenile court makes the final decision.”
The mother’s record in family court includes reports of neglect and threats of violence. She also has a 2006 criminal conviction of malicious punishment of a child. The father of five of her children did not live in the home but has also been found to neglect the children and threaten them with physical harm, according to court records.
Court records show the children were routinely allowed to live with their mother under protective supervision.
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