What Onondaga Co. Child Protective Services knew before mother allegedly killed 5-year-old

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Child Protection

Tragic Case of Nefertiti Harris

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — In 2018, Nefertiti Harris was born. From the get-go, she faced an uphill battle, born with drugs in her system. Now, police are searching for the five-year-old’s body in a field, with her mother facing manslaughter charges.

On Tuesday, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon and Deputy County Executive Ann Rooney confirmed that county child protective services and other resources were involved with Harris’ family for years prior to her death. In fact, that involvement began at birth. A family court judge removed Harris and four of her siblings from the home, only for the 29-year-old mother, Latasha Mott, to retake custody in 2020. Rooney said that at the time, Mott had met the requirements the judge had set for her, meaning the kids were put into her care from foster care.

Rooney said there appeared not to be any issues until December of 2023. CPS was called to investigate a bruise on Nefertiti’s brother’s cheek. That complaint was made on Dec. 13, with a caseworker concluding that the bruise was accidental and sustained while playing. A caseworker was once again in the home on Jan. 4, two days before police believe Mott killed Harris. Rooney said that they found no evidence of abuse, with the focus of that call solely on Harris’ brother.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being – Nefertiti’s case highlights the importance of ensuring the well-being of children, especially those born with drugs in their system. It is crucial to provide comprehensive support and intervention to families in need to prevent tragic outcomes.
• SDG 4: Quality Education – Nefertiti’s absence from school and her mother’s false claims about her transfer raise concerns about the education system’s role in child protection. Efforts should be made to improve communication and coordination between schools and child welfare agencies.
• SDG 5: Gender Equality – The tragic death of Nefertiti emphasizes the need for gender equality in child protection. It is essential to ensure that both mothers and fathers receive appropriate support and resources to fulfill their parental responsibilities.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities – The involvement of child protective services with Harris’ family demonstrates the importance of addressing inequalities and providing equal access to support services for all families, regardless of their socio-economic background.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions – The investigation into Nefertiti’s death highlights the need for a strong and effective justice system to hold perpetrators accountable and ensure justice for victims of child abuse and neglect.

“We had eyes on the family on Jan. 4 and we were there, the family receives a lot of support from the county and will continue to receive a lot of support. Then you had a mother who decided to kill her kid,” McMahon said, “it’s just horrific, it’s a nightmare.”

According to court documents, Mott told police that she hit Nefertiti multiple times with a belt in the shower in an apartment at 127 W. Beard Ave. Authorities concluded that Mott was responsible for “recklessly causing her death,” charging her with manslaughter. Police also state in those documents that Mott admitted to hiding Nefertiti’s body in a “wooded area,” leading to a charge of “disposal of a corpse.”

Investigation and Efforts to Locate Nefertiti’s Body

Since Monday morning, police and other investigators have been combing a baseball field behind an apartment building on Salt Springs Road, nearly four miles away from the West Beard Avenue address. Authorities have been using shovels, K-9 units, a drone, and other forensic equipment for nearly two days now, trying to locate Nefertiti’s body.

This investigation was sparked by a relative and a family friend who realized Mott was lying to them, Rooney confirmed on Tuesday. Mott had told each woman that the other was taking care of Nefertiti, only for the pair to bump into each other and realize neither of them knew where the girl was on Saturday. Police arrested Mott early Monday morning, and it is unclear who else may have been involved in the killing and the attempted cover-up.

Importance of Communication and Collaboration

Mott had also been lying to Nefertiti’s school about her whereabouts. According to Hull, Mott responded to the concerns of district employees who noted Harris’ absence by telling them she was being transferred to a school in Georgia. However, SCSD never received a transfer request from a Georgia school, so employees continued to follow up about Nefertiti. Hull said that employees made several referrals to CPS about Nefertiti’s and her siblings’ welfare.

According to McMahon no one ever told county CPS that Nefertiti was potentially missing.

Rooney clarified that even if district employees made referrals, those referrals begin with the state Office of Children and Family Services in Albany. She said it’s possible that the district’s concerns never made it to anyone in child welfare in Onondaga County.

Press Conference and Ongoing Investigation

Syracuse Police and the Onondaga County District Attorney are expected to hold a press conference on the investigation into Harris’ death on Tuesday afternoon, CNY Central will provide updates as they become available.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis:

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

The article discusses the tragic death of Nefertiti Harris, a five-year-old girl who faced challenges related to drug exposure at birth. The issues highlighted in the article are connected to the Sustainable Development Goals mentioned above. SDG 3 addresses the overall well-being and health of individuals, including access to healthcare services for children. SDG 4 focuses on quality education, which is relevant as the article mentions Nefertiti’s absence from school and her mother’s lies about her whereabouts. SDG 5 relates to gender equality, as the article mentions the involvement of child protective services and resources in the case. Finally, SDG 16 highlights the importance of peace, justice, and strong institutions, which are relevant to the investigation and legal proceedings surrounding Nefertiti’s death.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 3.2: By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age.
• Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable, and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.
• Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation.
• Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against and torture of children.

Based on the article’s content, the specific targets mentioned above can be identified. Target 3.2 is relevant as it aims to prevent deaths of children under 5 years of age, which includes Nefertiti’s case. Target 4.1 is applicable as it focuses on ensuring access to quality education for all children, which was compromised in Nefertiti’s situation. Target 5.2 addresses the elimination of violence against women and girls, which is relevant considering the involvement of child protective services and the tragic outcome for Nefertiti. Lastly, Target 16.2 aims to end violence against children, which is applicable to the investigation and legal proceedings surrounding Nefertiti’s death.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 3.2.1: Under-5 mortality rate
• Indicator 4.1.1: Proportion of children and young people (a) in grades 2/3; (b) at the end of primary; and (c) at the end of lower secondary achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics, by sex
• Indicator 5.2.1: Proportion of ever-partnered women and girls aged 15 years and older subjected to physical, sexual, or psychological violence by a current or former intimate partner in the previous 12 months, by form of violence and by age group
• Indicator 16.2.2: Number of victims of human trafficking per 100,000 population, by sex, age group, and form of exploitation

The article does not explicitly mention specific indicators, but based on the identified targets, the following indicators can be used to measure progress towards those targets. Indicator 3.2.1 measures the under-5 mortality rate, which is relevant to Target 3.2. Indicator 4.1.1 assesses the proficiency level of children in reading and mathematics, which is applicable to Target 4.1. Indicator 5.2.1 measures the proportion of women and girls subjected to violence, which relates to Target 5.2. Indicator 16.2.2 measures the number of victims of human trafficking, which is relevant to Target 16.2.

4. Table presenting the findings:

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Source: cnycentral.com

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