By Reagan Priest | State Affairs
An oversight committee looking into the deaths of children in the care of the Arizona Department of Child Safety ended its final meeting on a hopeful note Monday after crafting several bills to address gaps in the state’s child welfare system.
Three Arizona girls, Emily Pike, Zariah Dodd and Rebekah Baptiste, died in 2025 while living in group homes regulated by DCS or after multiple reports of abuse were received by the department. Lawmakers convened a joint legislative oversight committee on the deaths and Sen. Carine Werner, the committee’s chair, said reforms are within reach.
“I have to say that DCS has been working in partnership with us, they have been really tremendous in their participation and willingness to make the reforms that we are making this session,” Werner said during a Monday morning committee meeting. “While there’s still more work to be done, and we will continue this work through the interim and next session, we have gotten a lot done.”
Gov. Katie Hobbs has already signed a bill this session that aims to address an issue that preceded Pike’s death.
