Texas Child Maltreatment Fatalities Decline 14.9% in FY 2024

In March 2025, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services published its annual report on child maltreatment fatalities and near fatalities for fiscal year 2024. The report documents a continued decline in both investigated fatalities and hotline reports, while acknowledging that recent procedural changes affect how the numbers should be interpreted.

Key Findings

DFPS investigated 587 possible child abuse and neglect-related fatalities in FY 2024, down from 690 in FY 2023 — a significant decrease. The overall number of reports to the DFPS Statewide Intake Hotline alleging abuse, neglect, or exploitation dropped by 12.2% between FY 2023 and FY 2024. During the same period, child fatality reports to the hotline decreased by 14.9%.

Understanding the Decline

Not all of this decline reflects fewer child deaths. Beginning in September 2022, DFPS changed its intake procedures: reports involving a child fatality but with no explicit concern for abuse or neglect are now initially routed as a Case Related Special Request rather than a full investigation. This procedural shift has contributed to lower investigation counts in recent reporting years.

That said, the report confirms that allegations in all major categories — neglectful supervision, physical abuse, and others — genuinely declined in FY 2024. The number of fatalities meeting the definition of neglect has been trending downward since FY 2021.

Historical Context

To put FY 2024 in perspective: investigated child fatalities peaked at 1,024 in both FY 2008 and FY 2010. The sharp reduction to 587 represents a 43% decrease over 14 years — meaningful progress, though every child death remains one too many.

Confirmed Investigations

The DFPS Sunset Self-Evaluation Report (August 2025) also revealed that confirmed day care child abuse/neglect investigations in FY 2024 totaled 348 — nearly double the target of 187. Confirmed Residential Child Care investigations closed within 30 days reached 1,846, also well above the 943 target.

Source: DFPS FY 2024 Child Maltreatment Fatalities and Near Fatalities Annual Report (March 2025)