DENVER—The same supervisor at Denver’s Department of Human Services signed off on closing the child abuse investigations three children died in the weeks and months that followed.
Supervisor Mary Peagler oversaw the cases of Chandler Grafner, 7, Neveah Gallegos, 3, and Luz Valdez, 3, KMGH-TV reported Thursday citing Human Services department records.
Grafner died in May and his caregivers have been charged with murder. Valdez died in December and her mother’s boyfriend was charged with murder.
Gallegos, 3, died in September. The coroner’s report said Gallegos had been struck in the abdomen and strangled.
Peagler was placed on a monthlong paid leave after KMGH-TV reported human services did not interview a man who had allegedly dropped Valdez before closing the case. Peagler returned to work earlier this month.
She did not respond to requests for an interview, the station reported. She is one of eight supervisors in her unit.
Human services manager Roxane White declined to discuss personnel issues with the station.
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