A new report from the Massachusetts Office of the Child Advocate found a series of failures by the Department of Children and Families that left a young Worcester girl in the care of her father, who is now indicted for her murder.
The 65-page report details how DCF failed to recognize what the child advocate described as chronic neglect affecting A’zella Ortiz and her siblings. The report states that despite years of agency involvement for 3 years and 8 months, the children’s circumstances did not improve and instead worsened.
According to the report, DCF ultimately closed the case after workers believed the family had left the state. The agency had not connected with the family for more than 100 days before closing the case.
Retired Worcester Juvenile Court First Justice Carol Erskine said the findings go beyond the need for policy changes, calling for a federal investigation into DCF’s handling of the case.
Erskine said the length of time DCF was involved with the family without improvement raises serious concerns about agency policy and oversight.
She also pointed to what she sees as similarities between A’zella Ortiz’s case and that of Harmony Montgomery, a New Hampshire child who was placed in the custody of her father and later murdered. Harmony Montgomery’s father has since been convicted.
Harmony, as well as children in the Worcester case had disabilities and they were not receiving services for them. Erskine said that is a violation of their constitutional rights and it’s on that basis she is calling for a federal investigation.
The Office of the Child Advocate’s report includes a series of recommendations aimed at preventing similar failures within the child welfare system.
Worcester investigators say when they responded to a 911 call in October 2024, they found A’zella lying on the floor, cold to the touch, with feces covering parts of her body. Her father, Francisco Ortiz allegedly told police A’zella fell from a table, but investigators say her injuries were consistent with a two-story fall.
Ortiz is in jail awaiting trial charged with murder and child abuse.
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