GASTON COUNTY, N.C.,None — The Gaston County Department of Social Services says it did everything it could to try to help a 2-year-old girl who died in July.
On Friday, the department released a summary of its case file regarding 2-year-old Addison Lanham.
The toddler's mother, Shanna Lanham, and her boyfriend, Jason Wells, pleaded guilty this week to second-degree murder in Addison's death. She died after an untreated infection entered her bloodstream, killing her. The toddler also had a broken leg that went untreated, investigators said.
PDF: DSS summary on Lanham case
SLIDESHOW: Photos Of Addison Lanham
In the report, the department details its investigation into claims that Lanham and the toddler were living with Wells, who is a registered sex offender. Lanham denied that she was living with him to social workers, the report says.
It also says a social worker tried seven times in vain to contact Lanham before her daughter died.
DSS Director Keith Moon said the worker was hampered by Lanham and also by people who helped her avoid getting the help her child needed.
"I'm just happy to have the information about our involvement out," he said.
Moon said his department was unfairly criticized for not doing more to prevent Addison's death.
"There is no point in this report that there were any red flags being ignored by any social workers," he said.
In June 2011, the department received a report that Wells was living with Lanham and Addison, and that the two were using drugs around the child, the report says. Social workers visited Lanham and Addison at a motel where they were staying, and Lanham denied living with Wells and said she did not use drugs, according to the report.
A worker completed a safety agreement with Lanham, in which Lanham agreed not to let Wells live with her and to notify DSS of her new address when she moved, the report says.
Later that month, the report says, Lanham contacted DSS and said she and her daughter were going to the beach for two weeks, and that she had new housing. She did not give her new address but said she would call the social worker back, according to the report.
Wells and his uncle also told DSS that he did not live with Lanham, the report says.
"There were a number of people who were, in fact, covering," Moon said.
In July, the department was unable to contact Lanham. Her phone was disconnected and she was no longer living at her last known address, the report says.
Later that month, DSS got the news that Addison had died.
"This little child died and I think there are some folks who could have probably helped prevent that," Moon said.
Previous Stories: December 7, 2011: Mother, boyfriend plead guilty in toddler's death July 28, 2011: Family: Concerns Reported To DSS Before Toddler's Death July 28, 2011: Mother Charged In Girl's Death Begs For Help In 911 Call July 27, 2011: Mother, Boyfriend Face Abuse Charges In Toddler's Death July 26, 2011: Police Waiting For Autopsy Results In 2-Year-Old's Death July 22, 2011: Police Investigate Death Of 2-Year-Old Girl
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