Second statement regarding critical incident near 59th Avenue and Camelback

PHOENIX, AZ (February 6, 2020) -

All of us at DCS are heartbroken about this incident.

While this is an ongoing investigation and we are unable to release all of the facts at this time, we grieve for the child whose remains were recently found.

We are also thinking about the other children who were removed from the home.

We are working to ensure they receive the love, care and support that they need.

DCS will continue to work with the Phoenix Police Department to ensure justice is reached in this case.

While we cannot release case specific information at this time due to confidentiality laws, we are able to clarify and correct some of the information that has already been released publicly.

• The Loera’s are adoptive parents. They are not foster parents.
• The Loera’s last adoption was finalized in 2016 which occurred prior to the reported date associated with the remains recently found. The Department has received no reports on the family since their final adoption in 2016 until we received a report on January 20, 2020.
• The remains found in the home have not yet been identified, the investigation is ongoing. Case-sensitive information may be withheld pending investigation and prosecution.

Many media outlets have requested information on this case.

We understand that whenever the death of child is involved, people want and deserve answers.

We want to provide those answers.

However, state and federal law forbids us from releasing information on a child’s death, or near death, unless it was a result of abuse or neglect by a parent, guardian or caregiver.

As a result, incidents involving the death of a child must meet one of three criteria before DCS information can legally be released.

And those are: 1) the perpetrator is arrested and charged with causing the death; 2) a superior court finds a child dependent based on the allegations of abuse or neglect leading to the death or near death; or 3) DCS substantiates findings linking the allegations of abuse or neglect to the death or near death.

At this time, the criteria to release DCS information in this case has not been met.

If those criteria are met in the future, we will release case information allowed under the law.