Family Suing DHS After Child's Death

A social worker might have cut corners and cost a boy his life. An independent review says a DHS employee reported Keenan Taylor was safe with his father, even though allegations of abuse kept coming in. Keenan was killed in 2005 and his father was found guilty of murder. The News On 6's Joshua Brakhage reports the report details months of abuse, still, the DHS worker said nothing was wrong, and when a supervisor called him on it, he couldn't back up his story.

Keenan Taylor's mother, Tammy Taylor, lost custody of her son when she tested positive for drugs. Her little boy went to live with his father, Carlis Ball, who has since been convicted of Keenan's murder.

"I'm sad for my baby to know that his father killed him, you know I just don't wanna believe that," said Keenan's mother Tammy Taylor in 2005.

Carlis Ball was reported to DHS five times before Keenan's death. Tipsters said his home smelled like urine, Keenan had open sores on his legs, bruises, belt marks and a black eye.

A DHS worker reported he found no signs of abuse. But an independent review shows the social worker may never have checked on Keenan. The worker couldn't remember details of the investigation, and witnesses included in DHS reports say they were never interviewed.

In June 2005, Keenan Taylor died after his father poured boiling water on him. The two-year-old had burns on most of his body, his skin started to peel away from his flesh, and he started convulsing. Ball put him in a closet for almost 24 hours, before the boy's grandmother convinced him to call for help.

"He said Keenan is hurt and I'm scared, I said, what happened? He said, last night he got burned and now he said he's breathing funny. I said, Carlis, hang up the phone, dial 911, I'm on my way," Ball's mother Phyllis Ball said in 2005.

Keenan died a week before his third birthday. That same week, the DHS worker assigned to his case quit.

DHS admitted to the district attorney that the worker's reports were inaccurate before his father's trial. The medical examiner confirmed Keenan was healing from multiple injuries when he died, including numerous scars, a cut lip, and a head wound.

Keenan's father, Carlis Ball, is serving life without parole. Meanwhile, Keenan's grandfather is suing DHS. He says he wants to make sure other children don't suffer the way his grandson did.

Watch the video: Slain Child's Grandfather Suing DHS