Jury deliberates in Kelly child neglect case

A jury in Philadelphia is deliberating the fate of four social service agency workers today.

A jury in Philadelphia is deliberating the fate of four social service agency workers Tuesday. [audio:100302LFDHS.mp3]

They face fraud and conspiracy charges in connection with the death of 14-year-old Danieal Kelly, who died of starvation in 2006. The case stems from a grand jury report that highlighted widespread problems in Philadelphia’s Department of Human Services.

Frank Cervone is the Executive Director of the Support Center for Child Advocates.

Cervone: It told us that we weren’t looking closely at the individual child. There was no one in the system requiring an inspection of this child’s body and of a conversation with this child. There was no one in place to require that the home be evaluated from top to bottom. Those are parts of the changes that are beginning to take place and I think will vindicate her death.

The teen weighed 42 pounds and was covered with bed sores when she died.

Prosecutors say the employees of MultiEthnic Behavioral Health billed the city for services it never provided and forged documents to cover it up.