INDIANAPOLIS (AP): A new report from the Indiana Department of Child Services has found that 49 children died of abuse or neglect in the state during fiscal year 2013.
Officials reviewed the circumstances behind 286 children's deaths that occurred between July 1, 2012, and June 30, 2013. Of those cases, 35 deaths resulted from neglect and 14 died from abuse. The number of neglect-related deaths were up 84 percent from the previous year.
Child services spokesman James Wide attributed the rise in neglect determinations to officials receiving more complete information from various sources, including local child services officials and police.
Drowning was the most common cause of neglect-related deaths for kids. Other causes of death included gunshot wounds, drug overdose, beating, stabbing, suffocation, burning and malnutrition.
