Report Details DCF Failures Before Death of 4-Year-Old in Worcester

Child’s Death in Worcester Triggers Critical Review

The Office of the Child Advocate released findings on Wednesday from a year-long investigation into the death of 4-year-old A’zella Ortiz, who was pronounced dead in Worcester, Massachusetts, in October 2024. The investigation concluded that the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families failed to properly recognize warning signs or effectively intervene with the parents before her death.

Details of the Incident and Criminal Charges

Investigators stated that A’zella Ortiz died from blunt force injuries and was found in a Worcester apartment. At the same time, her two siblings were hospitalized with signs of abuse and neglect. A’zella’s father, Francisco Ortiz, has been charged with her murder and is being held in jail while awaiting trial.

Findings on Neglect and Risk Factors

Office of the Child Advocate Director Maria Mossaides reported that the children experienced chronic and cumulative neglect while in the care of their parents. She specified that this neglect included inadequate supervision, parental substance abuse, and failure to obtain pediatric medical care. Mossaides stated that, over the course of the Department of Children and Families’ involvement, the risk to the children escalated, and the case management team did not reevaluate its approach to determine whether a different strategy was needed to ensure their safety.

Timeline of DCF Involvement With the Family

According to the investigation, the Department of Children and Families first opened a case involving the Ortiz family in October 2018 after receiving a report that A’zella’s older sister was born substance exposed. That case was closed in 2019. Subsequent cases were opened in 2020 after new reports involving A’zella and her younger brother.

Mossaides stated that the agency created six separate action plans and met with the family 36 times over a three-year period, with little change in the substance of those visits. The investigation found that the family eventually stopped cooperating with the department, which last saw the children in their home in June 2023.

In August 2023, A’zella’s mother informed the case management team that the family was staying in New York. In September 2023, a Massachusetts DCF social worker contacted New York Child Protective Services to make a report, but New York indicated there was not enough information to register a report of concern.

In October 2023, the Department of Children and Families officially closed its case. At that time, the department’s management team had not seen the children for 114 days. The Office of the Child Advocate’s report found that the family was in New York for only three weeks before returning to Worcester.

Policy Gaps and Recommended Reforms

Mossaides’ investigation did not single out individual workers or leaders, and she stated that staff followed the procedures in place. However, she concluded that those procedures were insufficient and recommended significant policy changes, particularly in cases in which children remain in family custody.

Mossaides noted that 78% of families served by the Department of Children and Families are intact families, and she stated that existing guidance and policy for those cases are minimal, with few mandatory requirements for social workers and limited quality assurance processes, even though neglect is the primary concern in many of these cases.

The Office of the Child Advocate recommended that the agency revise and update its case closing policy, establish a structured quality assurance framework, develop a stand-alone policy on case consultations, strengthen the definition of clinical formulation, and incorporate an understanding of chronic neglect into casework. The report also called for a training needs assessment of the DCF workforce to identify gaps in knowledge, skills, and capacity.

DCF Response to the Report

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Department of Children and Families said the agency is heartbroken by the loss of A’zella Ortiz and expressed appreciation for the Office of the Child Advocate’s examination of the case. The statement said DCF is committed to enhancing child safety and will address the concerns identified in the report. Planned actions include reviewing policy around case closures, assessing training needs, and providing clearer guidance on assessing families for risk factors associated with child abuse and neglect.

Calls for Additional Funding and Support

Mossaides, who is scheduled to leave her position in the coming weeks, stated that more funding is needed to address gaps identified in the report. She called on state officials to avoid cutting support for vulnerable children and families in future budgets and urged increased investment to ensure child safety and opportunities for children to thrive.

She said that additional resources are necessary to strengthen training, reduce caseloads per social worker, establish a quality assurance framework, and continue providing community-based services. Mossaides emphasized that supporting and stabilizing families so children can safely remain at home is a critical goal that requires adequate resources.