SALT LAKE CITY ( ABC4 ) — After child welfare authorities released a report on the death of Gavin Peterson, the Child Welfare Legislative Committee met to discuss ways to improve Utah’s laws and policies — and Kevin Franke joined in.
The death of 12-year-old Gavin Peterson in July led to calls for transparency about the case as there were claims that the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) had received reports of suspected abuse and neglect for several years.
Thursday morning, DCFS released information on the investigations leading up to the child’s death and legislators held a meeting to discuss potential changes to Utah’s child welfare system.
Among the public providing comment in the meeting was Kevin Franke, the estranged husband of Ruby Franke, a former YouTuber who pleaded guilty to child abuse charges late last year.
Kevin Franke said that while the process of working with caseworkers has been positive overall, he believes there is a need for major changes to the system to prevent deaths like Gavin Peterson’s and near-fatalities like those of his children.