Arizona Senate Advances Child Safety Reforms Following DCS Investigation Led by Senator Werner
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, February 25, 2026
PHOENIX, ARIZONA—Senate Republicans are taking action to strengthen Arizona's child protection system, passing a bipartisan package of reforms this month aimed at preventing warning signs of abuse and neglect from being missed and ensuring faster intervention when children are in danger.
The legislation, sponsored by Senate Health & Human Services Committee Chair Carine Werner, comes after a legislative investigation she led into failures within the Department of Child Safety (DCS) following the murders of multiple children who were known to the system. The investigation examined how critical information was handled, where communication broke down, and why repeated reports did not always result in stronger protective action. The reforms were shaped by lessons learned from several tragic cases that exposed gaps in coordination and response.
Emily Pike, a 13-year-old in tribal child protective services, was reported missing after leaving a state group home and was later found dead near Globe, raising concerns about supervision and response protocols for children in state custody and tribal child protective services. Rebekah Baptiste, age 10, died after suffering severe abuse despite repeated concerns reported to authorities. School officials had flagged warning signs multiple times prior to her death, highlighting failures in escalation and information sharing. Zariah Dodd, a 16-year-old girl in DCS care who was pregnant at the time, was reported missing from a group home and later found murdered in Phoenix, drawing attention to the risks facing vulnerable teens in state placement and challenges surrounding runaway youth.
In response, Senator Werner is championing targeted reforms designed to close those gaps by strengthening reporting requirements, improving investigations, and ensuring decision-makers have complete information sooner.
SB 1125 strengthens coordination between DCS and Arizona's tribal governments by requiring ongoing agreements focused on communication, training, and information sharing when tribal children are placed in state-supervised settings, helping prevent jurisdictional delays that can slow protective action.
SB 1126 improves cooperation between schools and child safety investigators by ensuring DCS can obtain necessary school information during active abuse or neglect investigations and clarifies that school personnel may speak directly with investigators, recognizing that educators are often the first to notice warning signs.
SB 1127 strengthens mandatory reporting laws by requiring individuals with direct knowledge of abuse or neglect to report concerns themselves rather than relying on someone else who has never seen injuries, abuse, or neglect to do so, reducing delays that can occur when responsibility is passed along.
SB 1172 requires heightened review when repeated reports are made, ensuring experienced investigators handle cases involving multiple hotline complaints and requiring courts to receive relevant hotline information during active dependency proceedings.
SB 1174 improves hotline intake procedures by requiring staff to review recent report histories and generate a consolidated case overview so patterns of abuse or neglect are immediately visible rather than scattered across separate reports. Hotline operators can use the information from prior reports in decision-making.
SB 1175 strengthens documentation requirements by directing caseworkers to photograph children during investigative contacts and maintain those records in case files, helping identify changes in a child's condition over time and supporting clearer safety decisions.
SB 1631 establishes clear timelines for forensic interviews in child sexual abuse cases, requiring advanced forensic interviewers to conduct interviews promptly to preserve evidence and reduce additional trauma to victims.
Together, the reforms reflect recommendations developed through Senator Werner's investigation, which included testimony from stakeholder meetings, agency officials, law enforcement, attorneys, educators, and child safety professionals focused on identifying systemic failures and preventing future tragedies.
"These bills are about making sure warning signs are not missed and information does not sit in silos while a child remains at risk," said Senator Werner. "In each of these cases, people raised concerns, but the system did not move quickly enough or connect the information in time. These reforms strengthen accountability, improve coordination, and help ensure experienced professionals step in sooner when children need protection most."
The legislation is now moving through the House for consideration.
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For more information, contact:
Kim Quintero
Director of Communications | Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus