Child Abuse Reports Need More Investigation

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A task force studying Minnesota's child protection system wants more reports of abuse to be automatically investigated.

The task force appointed by Governor Mark Dayton began on Friday to piece together another set of recommendations to overhaul the state's child protection system. It's also endorsing a new screening process to determine if other maltreatment reports should be investigated.

Minnesota officials are moving to make changes in light of a Star Tribune report on the death of a repeatedly abused 4-year-old boy. Eric Dean was killed by his stepmother in 2013 after numerous complaints lodged with county social services failed to prompt action.

Legislators already passed a bill repealing a law that prevents social workers from considering past abuse reports when deciding to investigate new ones.