Tagged: Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

The Kentucky Supreme Court has ordered Kentucky child welfare officials to publicly release records of child abuse cases resulting in death or serious injury.

The court released the 3-3 vote on Thursday on whether to halt a lower court decision ordering the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to open the cases. The tie vote let the lower court decision stand.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Kentucky has spent five weeks at its highest level of flu, which is far more than last year. That means more than half of the state’s regions have reported an increased number of cases. Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services spokesperson Gwenda Bond says although this year’s outbreak is more severe than previous years, it is not too out of the ordinary.

Members of a new state review panel tasked with overseeing child fatalities and near fatalities will begin their work by examining the cases of eight children who died over the past year. Governor Steve Beshear created the panel earlier this year with an executive order and the group met for the first time today.

Judge Roger Crittenden, who chairs the panel, says more information may be needed to get a clear understanding of what happened and why.