(WXYZ) — A horrifying violent death of a young boy in Detroit left the family of 5-year-old Ethan Belcher demanding answers from Child Protective Services. He was found dead from physical abuse and torture in late January despite calls to CPS for help.
“He loved to be loved. Go to the park, to be with his brothers," said Ashley Belcher, aunt of Ethan.
To his loved ones, including Ashley and Candace Rush, Ethan was a sweet, lovable and kind 5-year-old boy who filled their hearts with happiness.
“These children are sent back to these homes and lose their lives at the hands of these monsters," said Candace Rush, Ethan's aunt.
Ethan was found dead January 22 at a home on Spring Garden Street in Detroit from blunt force trauma.
“I would have taken him, but the case worker literally wasn’t working with me at all," said Candace.
Wayne County prosecutors have charged his mother, 27-year-old Valerie Hamilton, and step-father, 27-year-old Shane Shelton, with murder, torture and child abuse.
“The children were sent back to a house of terror and it should never have happened so quickly, so easily," said Ashley.
Ethan’s aunt's say they called CPS more than a dozen times to report Ethan and his 3-year-old brother being abused, but that caseworkers failed to keep him safe.
In part of a statement, a CPS spokesperson responding by saying,
“The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) extends its deepest sympathies to the Belcher family during this extraordinarily difficult time and appreciates their advocacy for protecting children.
MDHHS will continue to work daily with law enforcement, community partners and others on child abuse prevention services.
The department endeavors to be as transparent as the law allows. Both state and federal law prohibit MDHHS from sharing specifics about Children’s Protective Services (CPS) cases, including the Michigan Child Protection Law (MCL 722.627) and federal law 42 USC 671(a)(8).
Confidentiality of CPS records has been part of state law for decades. The confidentiality requirement in state and federal law protects children who have been abused or neglected – and their siblings – from the additional trauma of having the intimate details of their alleged abuse and neglect made public.
The department is always willing to work with our legislative partners to protect the well-being of children and families."
Ashley said, “the system needs to change. We need to all work together to save babies everywhere. Something has to change. Pass this bill so we can save more babies.”
State Senator Jim Runestad, R-White Lake, is now introducing a new bill for media and state leaders to have more access to info to stop tragedies like this, and bring greater oversight of CPS.
“There [are] so many cases you have brought me and other reporters in the last few weeks, it just seems like a pandemic," said Sen. Runestad.
He's calling deaths of children a disaster across our state.
"Someone like me and you cannot get in the information. This is the bottleneck ... that’s the driving force," he said.
Ethan’s younger brother has now been placed in foster care. His mother and step-father are due back in court February 8.
Sen. Runestad says the next step is for this bill to quickly head to committee for more follow up, in hopes of changing the law as soon as possible.
