Report: DCF Failed to Properly Investigate Bella Bond Abuse Case

The Department of Children and Families failed to properly investigate a case alleging abuse and neglect of Bella Bond, the Office of the Child Advocate announced Wednesday.

DCF also failed to fully investigate Bella’s mother before the two-year-old, who became known to the world as “Baby Doe,” was murdered. Her remains were found in a trash bag on a Boston beach in June.

DCF made a “premature” decision to close an “abuse and neglect” case in 2013, two years before Bella was found dead, according to the OCA’s findings. The report also indicated that Bond’s ability to parent was not “appropriately assessed.”

Bond’s “past history of arrests, substance abuse, mental health issues, instability and the termination of parental rights for two other children should have triggered higher-level conferences at DCF, and closer attention,” the report stated.

After a three-month investigation, authorities finally uncovered Bella’s identity after receiving a tip from the toddler’s mother, Rachelle Bond. According to investigators, Bond witnessed her boyfriend, Michael McCarthy, murder Bella at their home in Dorchester.

“She was a demon anyway,” McCarthy reportedly told Bond after allegedly committing the murder. “It was her time to die.”

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After the allegations of past abuse were brought to light, Gov. Charlie Baker ordered the OCA to examine the involvement of child welfare agencies, all executive agencies, police and any other service providers with Bella Bond’s family to see if any opportunities were missed to raise issues about her safety.

In both 2012 and 2013, “DCF missed opportunities to gather pertinent information from professionals providing services to the family and also failed to properly consider the little information they did receive when making their final determination of risk to Bella,” the report explained.

DCF instead relied on Bond’s own statements in some cases. Officials did not delve deeper by contacting professionals or agencies with whom she should have been working, according to the report.

Prior to Bella’s birth in 2012, separate cases involving two previous children ended with a termination of her parental rights. According to the report, DCF was aware of Bond’s previous history when they decided to close the case in September of 2013.

“Lack of sufficient management structure contributed to the poor case judgment,” the report concluded.

Bond, 40, was charged with accessory to murder and held on $1 million bail. McCarthy, 35, was charged with Bella’s murder and ordered held without bail.

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“The horrific death and tragic life of two-year-old Bella reminds us all of our responsibility to be watchful and to say something to authorities if a helpless child is mistreated,” said Acting Child Advocate Linda Carlisle.

A second autopsy on Bella is expected to be completed before Bond and McCarthy return to court on Nov. 19.