Two-month-old Chance Walsh’s life was in danger the moment he was born, according to reports from the Department of Children and Families.
Documents show someone called DCF’s hotline just after Chance’s mother, Kristen Bury gave birth in July. They suspected she may have been on drugs and homeless.
Those same reports show after an investigation, DCF found this didn’t “rise to the level of reasonable cause to suspect,” leaving Chance in the hands of his parents, who are charged with his murder.
It’s an outcome that’s hard to digest for people like Nick Silvero, who founded the state’s Safe Haven for Newborns program.
“This breaks my heart,” he said. “But, there can be all kinds of laws created but that’s not really going to solve the problem.”
Silvero said it’s a societal problem and that people need to speak up if they sense something is wrong.
“Quite often people see things and they just don’t want to get involved, and the next thing that happens is those children are totally abused or they’re killed,” he said.
Investigators say Chance’s father, Joseph, beat him to death and the two-month-old’s mother helped bury his body.
What’s even more disturbing is the report that shows Chance’s father had seven other reports filed on him with DCF before Chance’s death.
Chance’s mother reportedly had three other children who died but those deaths aren’t considered suspicious right now. She also has two reports that were filed on her with DCF in the past.
We asked Silvero if the Safe Haven program that allows parents to give up their newborns anonymously would have helped in this case.
“With these particular parents, the only way I think that we as society can help them is to recognize what’s going on,” he said.
Sadly someone recognized something was wrong in this case and it still didn’t stop this tragedy.
If you or someone you know wants to give up a baby anonymously, contact Safe Haven locations.