Children are quietly dying from abuse and neglect in Minnesota.
It’s not something that is widely known or discussed, but it’s a reality we must confront. On Monday, Jan. 5, Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota will release a new report drawing on publicly available records to better understand these tragedies.
The report, Minnesota Child Fatalities from Maltreatment, 2023–2024, examines child deaths determined to be the result of abuse or neglect that occurred between June 1, 2023, and Dec. 31, 2024. Its major findings:
- There were at least 44 child fatalities across 20 Minnesota counties during this period.
- The children ranged in age from just 19 days old to 16 years old.
- Approximately half had prior involvement with child protection services before their deaths, highlighting the complexity of the systems intended to support vulnerable children and families.
This report is intended to provide a high-level overview of child fatalities, identify common characteristics and where victims may have interacted with the child protection system, and contribute to thoughtful, informed discussions about child safety. It also includes recommendations from Safe Passage aimed at strengthening prevention, early intervention and system accountability.
To further explore the findings and recommendations, Safe Passage will host two identical public webinars on Tuesday, Jan. 6 at 11 a.m. and Wednesday, Jan. 7 at 11 a.m. These webinars are open to the public and members of the media — please share the registration information with others who may be interested.
We know hearing about child deaths is grim. But we encourage you to review the report and join us for this important discussion about accountability, child safety and what must change to prevent future loss of life.
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Tuesday, January 6 at 11:00 a.m. — Register now
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Wednesday, January 7 at 11:00 a.m. — Register now