Red Flags Ignored: DHS Fails, Boy with Autism Dies Alone
New investigation exposes critical flaws in Oregon’s child protective system, questions why multiple abuse complaints didn’t trigger life-saving action
MEDIA CONTACT
Melissa Roy-Hart
(503) 444-0026 | media@droregon.org
PORTLAND, Ore.—Today, Disability Rights Oregon (DRO) released a new investigation into the 2025 death of Lucas*, a teenager with autism who died alone in his home, where he lived with his mother and her boyfriend. The investigative report used sealed documents from the state and interviews to examine the cascade of failures by the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) to protect Lucas from abuse, neglect, and, ultimately, death.
“This was a boy who loved his teachers and was known for making paper ties to wear. Despite multiple complaints from his teachers that he was being neglected, the Department of Human Services failed to protect this child. If they had investigated and intervened as the law and policy required, Lucas would be alive today.”
* Lucas is a pseudonym, names and geographic locations were anonymized to protect confidentiality.
The investigation reconstructs a harrowing timeline: a sudden and unexplained withdrawal from school in November 2024; three increasingly alarming abuse reports filed within weeks; and troubling observations by school officials and law enforcement of dire conditions at home.
DRO’s investigation details how DHS’s systemic errors failed to stop Lucas’s tragic and preventable death:
DHS arbitrarily screened out urgent abuse and neglect reports.
Although three different reports were received in just seven days, DHS inexplicably screened out the first two. The third took seven weeks to investigate in violation of established timelines. Allegations in the reports included Lucas was removed from school for no reason, rapidly losing weight, evidently being isolated at home, and being denied food.
Denial of food—well-established by all three complaints—is neglect and counts as abuse under Oregon law.
DHS allowed its investigation to stall and be derailed.
After finally opening an investigation on December 18, 2024, DHS did not report any attempt to contact Lucas between December 21, 2024, and February 12, 2025. Lucas died during that time.
DHS did not investigate whether Lucas was being denied food—or address the loaded rifle pointed at a barricaded front door that school staff had observed when visiting the home.
DHS violated the law regarding Critical Incident Review Team investigations following Lucas’ death.
The statutes creating the Critical Incident Review Team (CIRT) process explicitly prohibit the participation of local DHS staff to avoid a conflict. However, five local DHS staff participated in the CIRT investigation of Lucas’s death, skewing the self-assessment of DHS’s repeated failures.
The CIRT investigation resembles a work of fiction.
While the CIRT report claims DHS “demonstrated diligence in engaging the family, (and) providing referrals to supportive services,” DHS mostly left passive voicemail and sent text messages.
This investigation and report make clear: Oregon must strengthen its protections for children in care and ensure that the Department of Human Services is following the law. The state legislature is currently considering potential modifications to existing laws designed to protect children and other vulnerable populations from abuse and neglect—changes that would negatively impact children and put more Oregon youth at risk.
“Until the Department of Human Services starts doing its job, the Legislature should reject any proposal that makes investigations less likely to occur and more difficult to prove.”
Recommendations
While no recommendation can undo Lucas’ tragic death, several recommendations for DHS and legislators are offered in DRO’s investigative report. Oregon can and must do better to protect vulnerable children in our state’s care.
Resources
About
Disability Rights Oregon upholds the civil rights of people with disabilities to live, work and engage in the community. Serving as Oregon’s federally mandated Protection & Advocacy system since 1977, the nonprofit works to transform systems, policies, and practices to give more people the opportunity to reach their full potential.
