State lawmakers plan 'Precious Doe' study

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- State lawmakers believe that improving communication and cooperation between state agencies might help prevent child abuse.<br/><br/>Lawmakers are launching a study into child abuse

Wednesday, November 9th 2005, 3:35 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- State lawmakers believe that improving communication and cooperation between state agencies might help prevent child abuse.

Lawmakers are launching a study into child abuse in response to the Precious Doe case. It involved a young girl who was killed allegedly by her stepfather in 2001. The girl, Erica Michelle Green, was known as Precious Doe before law enforcement officials were able to identify her.

Both the stepfather and the girl's mother, who gave birth to the child while in prison and who had been released shortly before the killing, have been charged in the case.

Representative Kris Steele of Shawnee, who is heading the study, says the state needs to take care of at-risk children whose parents are in prison, so they don't fall through the cracks.