Senator Werner to Hold Final DCS Oversight Hearing Following Investigation into Child Safety Failures
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, April 1, 2026
PHOENIX, ARIZONA—Senate Health & Human Services Committee Chair Carine Werner is holding the final Department of Child Safety (DCS) oversight hearing of the session on Monday, April 6 at 9 a.m. in Senate Hearing Room 2, closing out a months-long investigation into failures that left vulnerable Arizona children unprotected.
These hearings were launched after multiple high-profile child deaths exposed serious breakdowns in the state's child safety system. Emily Pike, a 14-year-old, ran away from a group home and was later found dead. Rebekah Baptiste, age 10, died after repeated reports of abuse were made but not escalated in time. Zariah Dodd, a 16-year-old in DCS care, was reported missing and later found murdered in Phoenix. All three cases involved prior contact with the system and raised urgent questions about missed warning signs, poor communication, and delayed intervention.
In response, Senator Werner convened a series of stakeholder meetings and legislative hearings, bringing together DCS officials, law enforcement, child welfare experts, and families to identify where the system broke down and what must change. That work has now produced a package of targeted reforms aimed at fixing those failures. SB 1125 strengthens coordination between DCS and Arizona's tribal governments by requiring ongoing agreements focused on communication, training, and information sharing. SB 1126 improves coordination between schools and investigators so critical information can be shared during active cases. SB 1127 strengthens mandatory reporting laws to ensure suspected abuse or neglect is reported directly and without delay. SB 1174 requires DCS to compile a child's full report history so patterns of abuse are immediately visible to investigators. SB 1175 requires caseworkers to photograph children during investigations and track changes over time to better detect abuse or neglect. SB 1496 strengthens legal protections and representation for children in dependency cases. SB 1631 ensures children who are the alleged victims of sexual abuse receive forensic interviews within 72-hours.
During Monday's hearing, presentations will be provided by Casey Family Programs, a national nonprofit focused on improving child welfare systems and preventing foster care placements; Collaborative Safety, an organization that works directly with agencies to improve child protection practices and reduce risk to children; and the Arizona Department of Child Safety with an update on policy changes implemented since the first hearing.
"This investigation made one thing painfully clear. People were raising red flags, but the system wasn't connecting the dots or acting fast enough," said Senator Werner. "These children were not invisible. They were known. Reports were made. And still, the response fell short. That cannot happen again. The reforms we're advancing are about making sure information is shared, warning signs are taken seriously, and experienced professionals step in immediately when a child is in danger. When a child's life is on the line, there is no room for delays, confusion, or missed communication."
The hearing is open to the public and will be livestreamed at azleg.gov/liveproceedings.
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For more information, contact:
Kim Quintero
Director of Communications | Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus
kquintero@azleg.gov