Debate flares over WA child welfare law after rise in deaths and injuries

Debate flares over WA child welfare law after rise in deaths and injuries

The Washington state Capitol on March 13, 2025. (Photo by Bill Lucia/Washington State Standard)Lawmakers in Washington are divided on whether to dial back a state law critics blame for a sudden spike in deaths and serious injuries among children enmeshed in the state’s child welfare system. Through June, at least 92 of these children had died or nearly died, the state’s Office of the Family and Children’s Ombuds reported last month. The figures …