A report released Tuesday shows that Department of Human Services workers investigated the mother of a 10-day-old infant found dead in a washing machine six times before the baby’s death on Nov. 4.
Among the complaints was a report that a relative had died in the home from a drug overdose and that other relatives failed to report the death for seven hours because they were “shooting up speed” when the relative died.
The report, issued by the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth Office of Juvenile System Oversight on the death of 10-day-old Maggie Trammel, indicates there had been several reports regarding the care of Trammel and two other children, ages 5 and 8, in the home. The reports dated as far back as March 2009.
Trammel’s mother, 26-year-old Lyndsey Dawn Fiddler, is currently being held on $100,000 bond on charges of child neglect.
Fiddler’s case has garnered national attention since the baby’s death was reported.
According to the OCCY report, the first complaint, which was made on March 27, 2009, stated that Fiddler’s children were reported to have been absent from day care. Fiddler stated the children had been sick.
“The reporter stated that Lyndsey Fiddler and the children lived with a relative until about two or three weeks earlier when they were thrown out. The reporter was concerned about the children’s safety,” the report states.
DHS reportedly accepted the report and screened it out on April 4 as “Not Child Abuse/Neglect,” and documented that “no information was given that stated the children’s welfare was at substantial risk of serious neglect or physical danger.”
The second report, on Oct. 12, 2009, said that Fiddler and two other adults living in the home “all used drugs in front of the children” and that “the adults passed out from drug use” and that “one of the adults was so high that they fell asleep in their food.”
The report stated that a 5-year-old “walked down to the end of the road and the adults did not know where the child had gone.” DHS reportedly concluded at that time that there were “high red flags” regarding Fiddler’s drug use — and that she reportedly tested positive in a drug screen — but found that the children were not in danger, appearing “clean, appropriately dressed and developmentally on target.”
In the third report, it was stated on April 8, Fiddler had been arrested on charges of drug possession and had tried to smuggle drugs into the jail before bonding out. The reporting party indicated that they were concerned that Fiddler had “left the children with an inappropriate caretaker in the past.” Nine days later, DHS concluded that the report was “Not Child Abuse/Neglect.”
The fourth report, which was made on June 21, alleged that a relative of Fiddler had “died in her home of a drug overdose” while Fiddler was pregnant with Trammel. The report states that the children were taken from the home by another relative but that “an additional relative wanted the children to stay there but kept passing out from drugs while trying to argue the point.”
Fiddler reportedly told the relative to take the children because she did not have food in the home. The report states there was no refrigerator in the home and the children were hungry and dirty.
DHS concluded at that time that there was a “red flag” due to drug use but that DHS was “unable to prove neglect or abuse of the children.”
The fifth report, dated Sept. 14, stated “concern for the unborn child of Lyndsey Fiddler and said that she was “taking prescription drugs to the point of not being able to walk down stairs, having slurred speech” and was due to deliver her baby in late October. The report was screened out nine days later, recommending that the care of Fiddler’s two other children be assessed.
The final report, prior the baby’s death, was made on Oct. 25, two days after the baby’s birth, saying that “Fiddler had given birth and had reportedly used drugs throughout her pregnancy.” DHS had reportedly contacted nine collateral witnesses regarding the report and the investigation was still open at the time of Trammel’s death. The report noted that “Fiddler was willing to work on parenting services.”
Three more reports were made to DHS following the infant’s death, including one the day after the baby’s death saying that there was concern that “the surviving siblings had not been removed from the home.” DHS at that time documented that “the children were placed voluntarily with relatives who were seeking legal guardianship.”
According to an affidavit filed in the case by Bartlesville police, when questioned, Fiddler reportedly denied “knowing how her baby got placed into the washing machine,” and she reportedly denied that she used methamphetamine ‘anymore.’”
A drug screen administered by police following her arrest, however, reportedly returned positive results for “methamphetamine, amphetamines, benzodiazepine and opiates.”
When contacted today, DHS officials said they are unable to comment on specific cases, but did offer some insight into DHS policy.
According to Dixie Clayborn, local DHS intake supervisor, child welfare workers investigate each complaint in compliance with the agency’s policies and state law.
“Our office receives referrals and they are assigned when they meet the criteria that is laid out for us as state statutes (require),” Clayborn said.
“When we arrive in the home, we look over everything that was mentioned in the referral. Sometimes it is all true, and other times we find that nothing in the referral was represented accurately.
“All concerning factors are researched to the extent the law allows DHS to do so.”
Clayborn said the agency’s policy does not allow drug testing to be done during an investigation or assessment.
She said the agency considers all available information when deciding what actions to take regarding a referral.
“We take current information that we receive as well as historical information,” she said. “Basically, we’re putting together a big picture puzzle as to what is happening. Any information that people want to give us concerning the welfare of children is taken very seriously.”
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