DOJ watchdog report finds FBI failed to report some child sexual abuse cases

WASHINGTON (TND) — According to a new watchdog report just released by the Justice Department, the FBI failed to report some child abuse allegations to law enforcement or social service agencies.

In the report, the inspector general found serious problems that could result in child sexual abuse allegations falling through the cracks, including 42 cases now flagged because there was no evidence they were being investigated.

Ashley Garrett, who is the vice president of prevention at The Monique Burr Foundation for Children, said she wishes she was surprised by the findings.

We're so far from where our children deserve for us to be in building safe communities," Garrett told The National Desk.

The report looked at hundreds of cases between 2021 to 2023, with the inspector general finding no evidence the FBI followed rules to report allegations to local law enforcement in about half of those cases.

Seventy-six million children are in the U.S.,"Garrett said. "Forty-six million of them will be victimized in some way by the time they're 18.

Madeline Summerville, an attorney with 10 years of experience working in child welfare, said the report is disappointing.

We've identified problems just like they identified in this report for so long," Summerville said.

That's why she said she believes there needs to be a sense of urgency when reports come in, as well as more communication between the different agencies.

As soon as it falls through the cracks on one of them, if there are four that are supposed to be involved, the balls dropped," said Summerville.

ncG1vNJzZmihlJa1sLrEsKpnm5%2BifK%2Bx1qxmp5mknryvedaoqaWcX5m8q3nWmqucoJSktG6%2BxKmmq6xdm7avsNJmnZuhXZuuqrjEnWStp12nsrG70a1krKedmnqktMilm2arla3CoriMmpmuq5VisKK%2FxKxkpqecmsC1rdOipqdlmaPDpr%2FTop6arJmku7R5xK%2BgnZ2emLJur9GipJ6rXZi1qrjDq5ynZZuesbR52KisraBdlrSmusKinKw%3D