The Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services has fired both a social worker and her supervisor for their handling of the Aniya Day-Garrett case.
The county confirms both Lorra Greene and her supervisor Laura Cole were terminated on Aug. 3 of last year, roughly a month after they were placed on paid administrative leave. Both were accused of "serious policy violations, including neglect of duty, poor job performance, violation of DCFS operational policies and procedures, nonfeasance and misfeasance."
Four-year-old Aniya, of Euclid, died in March of 2018, with the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office citing cerebral necrosis due to blunt impacts to the head with subdural hematoma. Authorities also say she was emaciated, malnourished, and had suffered a large stroke due to tearing blood vessels on the brain.
Aniya's mother Sierra Day was convicted earlier this month of aggravated murder in Aniya's death and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Day's boyfriend Deonte Lewis was also convicted of aggravated murder, and received life in prison with a possibility of parole after 20 years.
Following Aniya's death, multiple investigations revealed signs of abuse dating back to at least 2015, and two daycare centers were ordered by the state to shut down for not reporting the suspected abuse to authorities. Cuyahoga County children's services also came under heavy fire, and County Executive Armond Budish later announced a series of changes to the division.
In letters sent to both Greene and Cole informing them of their terminations, the county accused the pair of not acting in a timely manner to protect Aniya from the abuse, and in some cases not even investigating allegations.
Specifically, the letter to Greene read:
"...you did not act with the appropriate sense of urgency to protect [Aniya Day-Garrett]...Important allegations were not investigated vigorously, or at all, and daily attempts to see the child were not made as they should have been...You did not use appropriate judgement or decision-making in your handling of the case."
Aniya's father, Mickhal Garrett, has also criticized children's services for their handling of the case, and has called for stricter penalties for case workers who do not follow proper protocol and statutes.
