DCYF worker accused of leaving child alone in locked car

CRANSTON, R.I. — Rhode Island child advocate Jennifer Griffith said Monday that her office is investigating a report that a child in state care was left alone in a car by a worker at the state Department of Children, Youth and Families.

Gov. Gina Raimondo pledged the state will get to the bottom of it.

"We have been made aware of it, but I can't talk about the specific incident," Raimondo said.

A child in state care was left alone in a locked car, allegedly by a DCYF worker at the department during hot weather last week.

The communications director for DCYF told NBC 10 News outside the agency's headquarters, per state and federal law, that he could neither confirm nor deny an investigation is underway.

But the Office of the Child Advocate, which is a state agency separate from and a watchdog of DCYF, confirmed it has launched its own investigation into the matter, issuing subpoenas Friday morning seeking further information.

Rhode Island State Police told NBC 10 on Monday that the matter was an internal investigation to DCYF and that the state police was involved in a reporting aspect only.

NBC 10 asked the governor if the state police should be investigating.

"I don't know. That's what I'm saying. It's too early for me to say. But I do know (acting DCYF Director) Jamia McDonald is on it, has been working all weekend on it, and if there is criminal activity we'll bring in state police and either way if someone did something wrong, they'll be held accountable," Raimondo said.

Griffith said regardless of whether the alleged actions are found to rise to the level of criminal activity, her office will be conducting a thorough investigation independent of the other state agencies.

Griffith said she confirmed the incident happened and that the child is OK.

It was not known how long an investigation could take.