ATLANTA — It’s a number Senator Jon Ossoff says is alarming. Friday his office reported the latest findings from a bi-partisan inquiry, into the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services.
“1,790 children in the care of Georgia DCFS were reported missing … these numbers are deeply troubling,” Senator Jon Ossoff said.
The numbers were released as part of a bi-partisan investigation launched earlier this year after a series of Channel 2 Investigations into the state’s handling of foster children.
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Senator Ossoff alongside Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn launched the investigation in February.
“This is an investigation about what is being done to protect children,” Ossoff said.
In an analysis that is apart from this inquiry, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children found between 2018 and 2022, 1,790 were reported missing while in state care. Ossoff says that number is around 2,500 when including cases where children were repeatedly reported missing.
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The Covenant House Georgia, a haven for homeless children says these numbers have encouraged them to investigate if the children they’re taking in have been reported missing.
“I certainly want to further investigate that,” said Dr. Alie Redd.
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Earlier this year, Channel 2 Action News reported parent’s frustrations over the practice of hoteling children.
On Wednesday the Subcommittee on Human Rights held their first hearing, listening to testimony from former Georgia foster children and families.
“This is about vulnerable children who deserve protection from abuse, sanctuary from neglect. That is why I will continue to work relentlessly to prevent failures from the most vulnerable children in our state,” Ossoff said.
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