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What Minn. can do to protect children from abuse

A photograph of Eric Dean
In this photo taken July 15, 2014, in Glenwood, Minn., a photograph of Eric Dean showing him with a broken arm, rests atop a folder of exhibits presented in court and folders of documents relating to the May 2014 trial of Amanda Peltier in the death of her stepson, Eric Dean.
Jeff Wheeler/Star Tribune via AP

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When Gov. Mark Dayton pulled together a child protection task force in Minnesota, it came on the heels of a sad tragedy: A Star Tribune investigation found that a 4-year-old boy in Pope County despite repeated warnings to child protection.

More from the Star Tribune report:

By the time Eric died at age 4 in February 2013, 15 reports had been filed on his behalf. The county's child-protection agency investigated only one, after the boy's arm was broken in 2011, and found no maltreatment. According to records, only one report was shared with police, despite state law directing that law enforcement should be notified of all suspected abuse reports.

An examination of Eric's county and court records reveals the failings of a system built to protect Minnesota's most vulnerable children: Caretakers... make reports to child protection and watch helplessly as the maltreatment continues. Reports often go uninvestigated and don't get referred to police. Social workers frequently encourage parents suspected of neglect or abuse to attend parenting classes.

In the most tragic of cases, those children die. Fifty-four Minnesota children have died of maltreatment since 2005, despite child-protection agencies getting reports that the kids were at risk or their parents and caretakers were dangerous, according to a Star Tribune analysis of state and county child protection records.

On The Daily Circuit, we look at what portion of the system failed and what the state could do different. What does Dayton hope to accomplish with the task force?