State orders review of abuse cases

In the aftermath of the horrific deaths of two young brothers in Kent, Washington child welfare officials on Friday ordered a statewide review of all child abuse and neglect cases open for 90 days or more.

The sweeping review could affect dozens of cases across the state, though Eastern Washington officials said they expected to review only a handful in Spokane County.

The announcement came five days after police found 16-month-old Justice and 6-week-old Raiden Robinson dead of malnutrition and dehydration in a Kent apartment. The boys’ mother, Marie G. Robinson, 36, had passed out drunk, and police found hundreds of empty beer cans, according to state records and media reports.

After her arrest, Robinson’s blood-alcohol level was 0.40, five times the level at which a Washington state driver is considered intoxicated.

Robinson faces two counts of second-degree murder, as well as second-degree endangerment for the alleged neglect of her surviving 2-year-old son

The state’s Children’s Administration received six complaints in the last two years about Robinson’s care of her children. On Friday, the department released Robinson’s 107-page case file.

The most recent referral had been open for nine months without a finding by the social worker. The state’s new child welfare plan, introduced earlier this year, recommends that investigations be completed within 75 days.

Ken Kraft, regional administrator for Eastern Washington, said the social workers must move quickly to reach a finding in the cases.

“They should be closed at 90 days,” Kraft said.

Kraft, who was traveling on Friday, said he expected his region would have “a fairly small number” of cases to review.

State officials said they will convene a child fatality review team to investigate Robinson’s case.

Uma Ahluwalia, assistant secretary for the Children’s Administration, also ordered a review of all casework handled by the section of the Kitsap County office that oversaw the Robinson case.

In February, the department received a complaint that Robinson was intoxicated and one son was playing in the fireplace.

The previous October, a caller reported that Robinson was drunk and “staggering around the house.” The caller also said the children were covered in feces and urine, and appeared to be starving. The state found the report to be unfounded.

Other reports said Robinson claimed to be “hearing voices telling her she should kill herself,” and that she was covered in bruises after falling down while intoxicated.

A social worker made unannounced visits and reported that the children appeared healthy, and the home was clean and stocked with food.

A state press release issued Friday said the worker had failed to meet CPS standards for child welfare investigations. The agency said the worker failed to conduct a home visit within the state’s timeline, failed to consider Robinson’s history of alcohol abuse, and failed to check medical and criminal records.

The social worker who investigated the family has been reassigned while the agency reviews the case.

Christopher Bone, the boys’ father, told police he went to the apartment after his release from jail on Sunday and got no response. Inside the apartment, police found Justice lying on his stomach in a crib in one bedroom, wearing only a diaper with a crumpled-up blanket beside him. In the master bedroom, an emaciated Raiden was found in a bassinet covered with a blanket, next to his mother.

State records say Bone was in jail for driving under the influence.

According to state records, both parents had substance abuse histories. Seattle newspapers reported that Bone had been charged with raping Robinson in 2002. Bone initially admitted guilt, but was acquitted after Robinson recanted her statement.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.