States push child welfare transparency after child deaths
An article from Stateline reports that several states have enacted or considered laws in 2026 to increase reporting and oversight of child neglect and abuse, often following high-profile deaths. In Indiana, Republican state Sen. Julie McGuire sponsored a bill that passed unanimously and became law in March, requiring the state’s Department of Child Services to release more information to the public when child abuse or neglect results in death or near fatality. McGuire said she could not get basic answers from the agency after the deaths of two 5-year-old girls, Kinsleigh Welty in 2024 and Zara Arnold in 2025. Oklahoma, Iowa, Idaho, Arizona, Ohio, Louisiana, and New Mexico also introduced or passed measures aimed at improving child protection. The article notes that a database called Lives Cut Short, compiled by the American Enterprise Institute and the University of North Carolina, records more than 4,000 child abuse or neglect deaths between 2022 and 2026 and found many cases not counted in state statistics.
What’s reported
Indiana Republican state Sen. Julie McGuire sponsored a bill after two 5-year-old girls died from abuse; the bill passed unanimously and became law in March.
The law requires the Indiana Department of Child Services to release more information when child abuse or neglect results in a death or near fatality.
Kinsleigh Welty died in 2024 after being found starving in a closet; Zara Arnold died in May 2025.
Oklahoma enacted a law in May requiring school administrators to report allegations of abuse by a school employee to law enforcement within 24 hours.
Iowa enacted a law in April allowing courts to grant investigators access to children in alleged abuse cases even when parents refuse to cooperate.
Idaho enacted “Benji’s Law” in April requiring investigation of abuse/neglect reports on high-risk newborns within 12 hours.
Arizona passed a bipartisan bill in April to improve communication between the Department of Child Safety and tribal nations after the death of Emily Pike, a 14-year-old San Carlos Apache girl.
Ohio introduced a bill in February creating Kei’Mani’s Law, requiring schools to appoint child protection liaisons.
Louisiana introduced a bill this session to expand reporting of child abuse, neglect, and deaths.
New Mexico’s state child welfare agency faces a lawsuit from state Attorney General Raúl Torrez over alleged misuse of confidentiality laws.
North Carolina state Rep. Carla Cunningham introduced a bill for Dominique Moody, a 6-year-old who died in December 2025, to create a child welfare case escalation team.
The Lives Cut Short database compiled by AEI and UNC includes more than 4,000 child abuse or neglect deaths between 2022 and 2026.
Only 11 states post notifications about child fatalities, near fatalities, or other egregious incidents.
Dr. Mical Raz of the University of Rochester cautioned that more reporting and investigations do not always prevent child deaths and can lead to oversurveillance of certain families.
Open questions
The article does not specify whether the Indiana agency has already begun implementing the new transparency law or how many of the introduced bills have been enacted.
Key figures
Julie McGuire: Indiana Republican state senator
Kinsleigh Welty: 5-year-old girl who died in 2024
Zara Arnold: 5-year-old girl who died in May 2025
AJ McWhorter: spokesperson for Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
Dr. Mical Raz: professor of public health and policy at University of Rochester
Kei’Mani Latigue: 13-year-old girl found dead in March 2025
Tiara Kasten: mother of Kei’Mani Latigue
Raúl Torrez: New Mexico state attorney general
Carla Cunningham: North Carolina state representative (not affiliated with either party)
Dominique Moody: 6-year-old who died in December 2025
Naomi Schaefer Riley: senior fellow at American Enterprise Institute
Sources: stateline.org
