INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana Department of Child Services says child neglect and abuse deaths increased during fiscal year 2017.
A report released Friday details 65 deaths that resulted directly from abuse or neglect. That's up from 59 child deaths in fiscal year 2016.
The report found that 44 were due to neglect and 21 were caused by abuse.
Forty-five of the 65 fatalities involved children 3 years old or younger. It illustrates a national trend that very young children are at the highest risk of abuse or neglect.
The report found that the most common neglect-related child deaths were related to kids being left unattended near water or a caregiver's failure to provide safe sleeping arrangements.
