On May 27, 2000, three-year old Zy'Nyia Nobles died while at home with her mother. Zy'Nyia's brother reported that he witnessed his mother beating his sister. The mother was arrested shortly afterward and charged with homicide by abuse. At the time of Zy'Nyia's death, she and her brother were dependents of the State. The DSHS Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) had obtained legal authority in February 1997 to remove the children from their mother's care and place them in foster care. Zy'Nyia and her brother remained in foster care until February 2000, when DCFS, returned them to their mother. The family remained under DCFS supervision after the children's return.

Several days after Zy'Nyia's death, OFCO initiated a review of DCFS case files and other records relating to Zy'Nyia and her family. This review resulted in a written report describing several issues of concern about the handling of Zy'Nyia's case. On July 13, 2000, OFCO submitted its report to the community fatality review team that DCFS had convened to review the circumstances and contributing factors relating to Zy'Nyia's death. OFCO asked the community fatality review team to consider and address as part of the team's review the issues identified by OFCO in this report.

Names and other information that are protected by federal and state confidentiality laws have been redacted from this report.

Copies of the community fatality review team's final report on the Zy'Nyia Nobles case (released on November 29, 2000) may be obtained by contacting the DSHS Children's Administration in Olympia, Washington.

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