"OAKLAND Under a haze of secrecy, a county investigation into the death of 8-year-old Sophia Mason whose malnourished body was found decomposing in a basement bathroom has dragged on for nearly three years. Now, even as hints emerge that the 2023 county-ordered probe may finally be wrapping up, child welfare and open governance experts say the delay in completing it raises new alarms about the county's commitment to keeping children safe."
"Either the interests of the county's children come first or they don't, said Ed Howard, senior counsel with the University of San Diego School of Law Children's Advocacy Institute. And the fact that their prior negligence may be costing the county money is not a reason to expose more children potentially to being killed. Howard said it would be utterly ridiculous for the county to delay an investigation to limit its legal exposure."
A county investigation into the death of 8-year-old Sophia Mason, whose malnourished body was found decomposing in a basement bathroom, has continued for nearly three years. County officials cited a lawsuit by Sophia's grandmother alleging widespread wrongdoing by Alameda County's Department of Children and Family Services as a reason for delaying release of details. A California State Auditor's Office report found persistent problems, including that county social workers missed the 24-hour deadline to start immediate referral investigations up to 11% of the time more than two years after Sophia's death. County Counsel denied requests for information, citing attorney work product. Child welfare experts warn that delaying investigations to limit legal exposure risks prioritizing county financial interests over child safety and accountability.
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