Eric Parker Dean

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pope County child protection workers missed numerous chances to intervene on behalf of four year old Eric Dean. Child protection got reports fifteen times that Eric was in danger. Yet only once did the county choose investigate. By the time his stepmother finally admitted to abusing him, it was too late.

 

In March of 2010 Child Protection received two maltreatment complaints about Eric. Both allege that Eric's mother’s new boyfriend assaulted her while the children were in the home, and that Eric was sleeping in a room that cannot be opened from the inside. The county conducted a family assessment and offered services to Eric's mother and her boyfriend, which they did accepted. Six months later in September of 2010 the County got a third maltreatment report about Eric. The county “screens out,” or declines to follow up on the report, saying the allegation did not meet the maltreatment criteria. In October the County gets a fourth maltreatment report about Eric. The county screens out the report, saying there was not enough identifying information for a response. Then in November Eric’s older brother accuses Kemp’s boyfriend of choking him. David Dean and his new girlfriend, Amanda Peltier, take custody of the children.

 

In February of 2011 the County gets its fifth and sixth maltreatment reports about Eric. Both are screened out, with the county saying once again they did not meet the maltreatment criteria. Five months later in July Peltier takes Eric to a hospital, where a report to child protection was made that Eric broke his arm in a manner often indicative of child abuse. The County does investigate and Peltier denies harming Eric, saying he fell down the stairs while she was doing laundry. A child abuse expert reviews the case, but was not given Eric’s prior maltreatment reports. The doctor said that the fracture could have resulted from a fall down the stairs. In October two more maltreatment reports are filed about Eric, including one from his day care teacher, Heather Hopper. She said Eric had multiple bite marks on his cheek and ears, and bruises and scratches on his body. The county decides to screens out this report also. In November Hopper files another report with child protection, this is the 10th report on Eric. Hopper said Eric had an egg sized lump on his head with puncture wounds around it. He initially told Hopper that his brother was responsible for the injuries, then later told her Peltier was responsible. To no surprise the county screens out the report.

 

In January of 2012 the County gets its 11th and 12th child maltreatment reports about Eric. One is from his special education teacher, Mindy DeGeer, who sees bruises and bite marks on Eric. Eric tells DeGeer he bit himself. Eric’s new day care provider, Colleen Myslicki, also sees the injuries. Eric tells her “Mommy” was responsible. This time the county opens a family assessment case for Dean and Peltier. In February, Myslicki reports to the County that Eric’s right ear was bruised and red and he had a swollen red lip. In the report, she tells the county that Eric told her “he got hurt.” The county screens out the report, saying the allegation does not meet the maltreatment criteria. In March, Myslicki sends another report to the County, documenting several days in which Eric came to day care with visible injuries, including fat lips, bleeding ears, and black eyes. Pope County conducts a family assessment. Of course Peltier and Dean deny physically punishing their children. So the county closes the case. In August, Myslicki sends another report to the County, the 15th about Eric since March 2010. Myslicki tells the county that Peltier slapped Eric out of her hands and screamed obscenities at him. Myslicki said the county told her that if she had further concerns about Eric, she should report them to her day care licenser. Even when Eric told his day care providers that his stepmother was responsible for the abuse, Pope County child protection workers only once investigated the reports.

 

In February of 2013 Peltier slaps Eric across the face, spanks him, bites him and throws him across a room. A perforation in his small intestine leaks enzymes into his body. Over the next two days he vomits repeatedly and complains of pain. Eric chokes on his own vomit and stops breathing. His parents call 911. Eric is taken by ambulance to a Glenwood hospital, and then airlifted to St. Cloud where Eric is pronounced dead. The medical examiner identifies numerous injuries to Eric’s body including bruising on his forehead and ears, bite marks on his scalp, a split upper lip with extensive bruising and an abdominal injury, peritonitis from a perforated bowel that ultimately caused his death. The doctor said the internal injuries were likely caused by significant blunt force trauma to the Eric's abdomen.A Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigator interviews Peltier, who denies abusing Eric.

 

 

Peltier was convicted of first degree murder and is serving a life sentence with a possibility of parole in 30 years. But justice has not been fully served until a thorough, high-profile examination has been conducted of the state’s child protection system and the human errors that left Eric in danger.

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.startribune.com/local/273026661.html