Little Ariel Rose who was 23 months old when she passed away was found to have died of accidental fentanyl poisoning, according to the medical examiner in Nashville. In November, Ariel’s uncle and grandfather spoke to News 2 about how they tried to bring her into the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services custody after seeing her in a homeless encampment.
After April’s death, DCS officials stated they can’t name persons who report child abuse or neglect, but the agency did not reply to a request for comment on the medical examiner’s report.
“It’s like talking to a brick wall when it comes to DCS,” Rose said.
In addition, “It is DCS policy to petition the court when parents are unable to care for their children in a safe environment,” the department clarified. Once the court is involved, it will make a custody determination.
While this is the second occasion in recent months that a family member has blamed DCS for a child’s death, the agency has been largely exonerated.
You can also check out news about the little child who also died this week:
- Aiken County Deputies Explain 1-year-Death
- Eight Family Members Including Five Children Were Found Dead in the House
The grandmother of a youngster with cerebral palsy said she sought out to the department after seeing the conditions her grandson was living in.
“We’ve tried – family members, friends, schools and hospitals have been trying for years to get DCS to step in and either take him or get my daughter some help, and it’s not helped,” Dawn Maddox said.
Mickey Rose has retained Branstetter, Stranch & Jennings, PLLC to pursue justice and investigate the circumstances surrounding his granddaughter’s untimely death. Gerard Stranch, without naming DCS or anyone else by name, said in an interview that he and his team would investigate Rose’s situation from every angle in the hopes of effecting real change.
“We are hoping Ariel’s death can not just serve as a catalyst to drive people out of the market that are supporting and facilitating illegal drug markets, but also can lead to larger legislative and other changes to prevent something like this from occurring again,” Stranch said.
However, at this moment, no one has been arrested in connection with Roses’ death. Since the release of the damning assessment of DCS, 52 additional caseworkers have started at the department, and further announcements will be made at the annual State of the State speech, according to a spokesperson for the governor.
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