WA child welfare deaths drop significantly after record year
Deaths and critical injuries among children in Washington’s child welfare system fell steeply in the first quarter of 2026, state officials reported Wednesday.
Still, four children died and three more nearly died in the first three months of the year.
The total of seven incidents is down from 22 in the same time period in 2025, a spike that alarmed officials and advocates. Preliminary data from the second quarter this year shows similar figures to January through March, according to the state Department of Children, Youth and Families, which runs Washington’s child welfare system.
Many of the child fatalities have been tied to drug exposure. The drop in incidents has coincided with a decline overall in opioid overdoses and wider availability of treatment options.
https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/06/24/wa-child-welfare-deaths-drop-significantly-after-record-year/