INDIANAPOLIS – That’s Governor Eric Holcomb in June 2019, touting statistical improvements at the beleaguered Department of Child Services. New numbers, however, failed to paint a picture of progress. In 2017, 65 children lost their lives as a result of abuse and neglect. The latest report, issued at 4pm on December 31, showed no progress. Again in 2018, 65 children died. That mark is 10 percent higher than the number of child fatalities in 2016. Indiana Democratic Party Chairman John Zody wondered when the governor intended to speak out.

“Governor Holcomb is failing to live up to his own words,” said Zody. “That DCS strategically dumped this news minutes before a holiday and that the governor has been nowhere near a microphone or TV camera since, says everything you need to know. Shying away is an understatement.”

The Department started implementing reforms in June 2018, and also immediately began touting improvement processes. Holcomb hasn’t shied away from preemptively spiking the football when numbers looked good, maneuvering that led Zody to believe the governor is up to speed on happenings at the agency and is simply just dodging this report.

“I’d understand if Holcomb missed the report considering his agency shamelessly buried it, but the governor has been front and center for previous, positive news releases out of DCS,” said Zody. “He said he won’t shy away, prove it governor.” 

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