Father of slain 3-year-old girl upset at Gaston County DSS

GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — The biological father of 3-year-old Jordyn Dumont said the Gaston County Department of Social Services is at least partly to blame for his daughter's death.

Joshua Kinnett said he called DSS three months ago asking them to check on his daughter Jordyn because he lives out of town and was concerned about her well-being.

“It just makes me angry," Kinnett said.

The father showed Channel 9's Ken Lemon a letter from Gaston County that says a social worker found "stable housing" and "good family support" at Jordyn's home.

However, multiple neighbors told investigative reporter Paul Boyd yesterday that Jordyn lived in a violent and abusive environment.

Police confirmed they've been called to the family house 49 times over the past three years.

The letter from DSS said the case was closed May 20.

Less than 12 weeks later, police said the girl was killed by her mother's boyfriend.

"They either turned a blind eye or they just didn't see it," Kinnett said.

An official with Gaston County said she couldn't comment on specific case details.

"We'd like to remind everyone that we are part of this community, are heartbroken by this loss and continue to do everything we can to protect local children," spokeswoman Brittain Kenney said.

The agency has been publicly criticized numerous times in recent years.

In 2013, Channel 9 interviewed a former Gaston County social services worker who said that supervisors forced her to "close cases early."

Sec. Rick Brajer is in charge of North Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services.

Channel 9 reached out to his office multiple times on Wednesday and specifically asked if there would be a state level task force assigned to investigate the slaying of Dumont.

Brajer staff did not respond.

A Gaston County official said late Wednesday that it was likely that North Carolina's Child Fatality Task Force will review this case.

That official also pointed out that reporting child abuse is mandatory for every person or institution in North Carolina, not just for law enforcement or other officials.

Cox Media Group