BANGOR (NEWS CENTER Maine) – Bangor school officials alerted the Department of Health and Human Services to suspected abuse of 10-year-old Marissa Kennedy years before her death, according to a statement from the superintendent.
Police said Kennedy was brutally beaten to death by her mother and step-father, Sharon and Julio Carrillo at a home in Stockton Springs Sunday after enduring months daily abuse.
“I am confident that our staff acted appropriately and always in the best interest of Marissa,” Superintendent of Bangor School Dept. Betsy Webb said in the statement.
Kennedy was a student at Fairmount School in Bangor during the 2016-2017 school year, according to Webb.
I can confirm that Marissa Kennedy was a student at the Fairmount School during the 2016-2017 school year. While Marissa was a student in Bangor, Bangor School Department administrators and teachers complied with all school policies and laws regarding the reporting of suspected abuse and neglect to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. Therefore, on a number of occasions when our staff had a reason to report suspected abuse or neglect, staff made the necessary reports to DHHS, which is the state agency assigned the responsibility to investigate. Bangor School Department personnel also complied with School Department policy and laws addressing absenteeism and truancy of students. Although confidentiality restrictions prevent me from sharing the specific circumstances and actions taken by school staff, I am confident that our staff acted appropriately and always in the best interest of Marissa. This has been a difficult time for us and supports are in place for those needing assistance.
She claimed administrators and teachers had reason to believe the abuse was occurring and took the “necessary steps” to report to DHHS.
“This has been a difficult time for us and supports are in place for those needing assistance,” Webb said.
Webb could not identify specific measures school staff took to address their concerns, citing confidentially restrictions.
The announcement from the school department follows claims made by neighbors of the family when they lived in the city that they reported concerns to DHHS and police as well.
Bangor Police told NEWS CENTER Maine they responded to the Bangor home several times, but would not comment further. Neighbors said they never saw Kennedy removed from the home by the Department of Health and Human Sevices.
Meanwhile, Senate President Mike Thibodeau is demanding an investigation into the agency.
“We need answers following this unthinkable tragedy,” Thibodeau wrote in a tweet.
DHHS refuses to comment on the case.