Apr 16, 2009 11:14 pm US/Eastern
Margate Boy Dies After "Possible Hanging"
Boy Was In Foster Care
Happened At The 6500 block of NW 9th Street
MARGATE (CBS4) ―
Margate police are working to figure out how a 7-year-old boy in foster care died from a "possible hanging" inside a home in the 6500 block of NW 9th Street.
Police were called to the home around 1:37 pm Thursday. Paramedics rushed the child to Northwest Medical Center where he died at 2:45 pm.
Detectives and child welfare investigators spent hours at the home Thursday. They did not release many details about the child's death but they did confirm that the child is in foster care.
"He's been with (the family) for a little bit," said Officer Vonley Williams. "He's been with them for about 3 weeks."
Neither police nor child welfare investigators could tell us any of the circumstances surrounding the child's death or his time in foster care.
Neighbors told CBS4's Carey Codd the family has two children living in the home. Both boys were seen in the neighborhood often, playing football, riding their bikes or riding skateboards. Neighbor Wayne Bernstein said he didn't see the 7-year-old often but when he did the child was in good spirits.
"He was happy, playing around," Bernstein said. "We can hear -- usually there's a number of children over there playing in the pool."
Childnet, the agency in charge of child welfare in Broward County, is investigating the death. A spokesperson told CBS4 they are reviewing the child's history with the agency.
""This is such a tragic, tragic event," said Sasheika Eugent, Childnet's Community and Public Relations Specialist." We're deeply saddened. We launched this internal investigation to determine that we took the appropriate steps to ensure the child's safety."
Childnet could not tell us if they removed any children from the home after the boy died.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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