Arkansas investigation of foster deaths ongoing (UALR Public Radio) - The governor's office says a "top-to-bottom" review ordered by Governor Beebe after the deaths of four foster children is ongoing and has resulted so far in "leadership" changes within the state Division of Children and Family Services.

John Selig -- who heads the state Human Services Department that includes the division -- says about a dozen positions in the division's central office have been eliminated and more workers have been placed in the field to beef up child-welfare services. Selig says the agency was reviewing its operations before the four deaths occurred this summer. He says the deaths created a greater sense of urgency. The agency also has created a team of experts from outside its staff to provide suggestions on how it can improve child-welfare operations, and has hired experts to work on its senior staff.

Selig would not comment on the investigation into the children's deaths. An agency spokeswoman says two were cases of suspect maltreatment and the other two were not.

In one of the four cases, Eleisha Sykes of Eudora has been charged with first-degree battery in the May 28 death of her 22-month-old foster daughter, Keyundra Smith. The child suffered head trauma, brain damage, cuts, bruises and welts.

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