LOCAL NEWS

Child and Family Services speaks to lawmakers after 12-year-old’s death

Sep 16, 2024, 7:30 PM | Updated: 7:37 pm

The death of 12-year-old Gavin Peterson continues to draw interest from lawmakers.

Peterson died July 9 of alleged child abuse at the hands of his father, stepmother and older brother.

The Division of Child and Family Services has been under fire over allegations from school staff that the agency failed to investigate reports of abuse on Peterson’s behalf.

Today, lawmakers said they wanted to hear from the agency to determine if they have enough resources and identify gaps in legislation.

“Just giving a little bit of context of what happens when a report is made,” Tonya Myrup, the agency’s director said to lawmakers during the 1.5 hour presentation.

In a rare public appearance and move towards transparency following the high-profile death of Peterson, the Division of Child and Family Services addressed the Rules Review and General Oversight Committee.

“We as legislators need to make sure that we’re giving our agencies… the help and support they need to ensure no child endures that again,” said District 4 Representative Kera Birkeland.

Representative Birkeland asked Division of Child and Family Services leaders and Department of Health and Human Services Executive Director Tracy Gruber if the departments felt comfortable with their funding and staffing levels.

“It was refreshing to hear them say, ‘we feel like we’re adequately prepared to handle the challenges.’ Obviously, they want to improve but the last thing we need to do is be saying ‘a mistake was made now fix it and we’re not here to back you up and support you,’” Birkeland said.

While the Division of Child and Family Services can’t provide specifics into their investigation of the Peterson case, they shared insight from the agency’s 2024 Annual Report. The report was published Monday morning.

According to the report, the Division of Child and Family Services received 48,542 reports of abuse or neglect in fiscal year 2024 and identified 8,791 child victims.

Lawmakers spent half of the meeting discussing how the agency handles false reports. According to Myrup, these types of reports nearly doubled between fiscal years 2022 and 2024. 2022 saw 22 false reports, 2023 saw 43, and 2024 saw that number drop slightly to 42.

“DCFS had been weaponized particularly when there’s a dispute between adults,” District 24 Senator Curt Bramble said.

The committee is exploring legislation, with a new bill that would require the Division of Child and Family Services to refer confirmed false claims to police and create harsher punishments for those who knowingly make false allegations. One idea was to include a fine.

“Those should be referred to for potential criminal prosecution because we’re using up precious resources chasing our tail on false claims,” Bramble said.

“There’s been a lot of conversations not only in this committee… of reviewing practices, reviewing our current statutes and whether they are sufficient for our Division of Child and Family Services to actually take action… and intervene if there’s a need for child abuse and neglect,” District 10 Senator Luz Escamilla said.

Senators Luz Escamilla and John Johnson also sit on the Child Welfare Legislative Oversight Panel.

The panel is expected to get a full report on the Peterson case next month. Case-specific details will be shared behind closed doors. However, a public hearing will follow in which lawmakers can make recommendations to the Division of Child and Family Services based on the investigation’s findings.

“The oversight panel is really responsible for finding out the facts and what was going on and then offering some oversight,” said Senator Johnson, District 3. “The only reason we go into executive session is there may be legal things pending and we need to maintain the privacy of families.”

“DCFS is really good about providing detailed reports so I expect we will see more on this case,” Johnson added.

KSL 5 TV Live

Local News

FILE — Police lights shown in West Valley City on Sept. 24, 2024. (Nathanial Gillis, KSL TV)...

Carlysle Price

One person killed in two vehicle collision near Tooele

One person was killed after two vehicles collided near State Route 179 Thursday.

23 minutes ago

Protesters in front of the Utah Capitol on Feb. 5, 2025 to protest President Donald Trump and Elon ...

Bridger Beal-Cvetko, KSL.com

‘We are the real patriots’: Utahns protest Donald Trump, Elon Musk outside Capitol

Hundreds of Utahns joined nationwide protests in opposition to President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, one of Trump's top benefactors who has sought to gut federal agencies as a "special government employee."

25 minutes ago

...

Mary Culbertson and Michael Houck, KSL TV

Man dies after barricading himself during ‘domestic situation’ in Layton

After a man barricaded himself in a Layton apartment complex, multiple schools were locked under "secure" protocol.

2 hours ago

Traffic halted on northbound I-15 in Draper after a fatal crash on Feb. 6, 2025....

Jacob Freeman

One dead after I-15 rollover near Point of the Mountain

One person is dead following a rollover accident on Interstate 15 near Point of the Mountain.

3 hours ago

The Utah State Capitol stands in Salt Lake City on the first day of the legislative session on Tues...

Daniel Woodruff

No compromise: Utah Senate gives final approval to original version of labor union bill

The Utah Senate voted 16-13 to pass a controversial bill that bans collective bargaining for public sector unions.

3 hours ago

Jeff Kauffmann and other union members wait to hear discussion and voting on HB267...

Caitlyn Keith, Deseret News

Public labor union bill back to a complete ban on collective bargaining

After multiple changes were made to one of the most controversial bills of the 2025 legislative session, the latest House version of a public labor unions bill would once again completely prohibit public sector collective bargaining.

4 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

holiday gift basket with blue tissue paper and gingerbread cookies...

Kneaders Bakery & Cafe

Holiday hacks for a stress-free season

Get more out of your time with family and loved ones over the holidays by following these tips for a stress-free season.

2 computer techs in a computer shop holding up a computer server with the "hang loose" sign...

PC Laptops

A comprehensive guide to choosing the right computer

With these tips, choosing the right computer that fits your needs and your budget will be easier than ever.

crowds of people in a German style Christmas market...

This Is The Place Heritage Park

Celebrate Christkindlmarket at This Is The Place Heritage Park!

The Christkindlmarket is an annual holiday celebration influenced by German traditions and generous giving.

Image of pretty woman walking in snowy mountains. Portrait of female wearing warm winter earmuff, r...

Lighting Design

Brighten your mood this winter with these lighting tricks

Read our lighting tips on how to brighten your mood in the winter if you are experiencing seasonal affective disorder.

A kitchen with a washer and dryer and a refrigerator...

Appliance Man

Appliance Man: a trusted name in Utah’s home appliance industry

Despite many recent closures of local appliance stores, Appliance Man remains Utah's trusted home appliance business and is here to stay.

abstract vector digital social network technology background...

Les Olson

Protecting yourself against social engineering attacks

Learn more about the common types of social engineering to protect your online or offline assets from an attack.

Child and Family Services speaks to lawmakers after 12-year-old’s death