Takoda Collins case leads to recommended changes at Dayton Police Department

DAYTON — An administrative review of the Takoda Collins case has prompted the department to recommend changes to its juvenile check welfare policy, a department spokeswoman told News Center 7′s John Bedell.

Dayton police and medics responded to a Kensington Drive home on Dec. 13 home after Al McLean reported that his 10-year-old son, Takoda Collins, was unresponsive.

>> RELATED: Takoda Collins homicide: Investigating agencies did not share information, Prosecutor Heck says

Collins was taken to Dayton Children’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The child had bruises and cuts all over his body, according to court documents.

“Takoda was kept in a dirty, locked, dark attic and abused daily over the course of several years,” read an affidavit and statement of facts. “The interviews also revealed that Takoda was held underwater and gasping for breath prior to succumbing to his injuries.”

McLean, 30; his fiancee Amanda Hinze, 28; and her sister Jennifer Ebert, 24; are all charged with four counts of endangering children, according to court records.

>> RELATED: ‘Locked in the attic naked:’ Dayton 10-year-old abused before death, police say

Police responded to the Kensington address multiple times over a period of years prior to Collins’ death.

The changes recommended by the department following the administrative review include:

• Officers completing a memo when they are called to do a welfare check in addition to contacting Children Services.
• There must also be additional follow-up by police personnel if the result of a welfare check is ‘no answer’ at the door.

The Dayton police recommendations come a week after the Montgomery County Prosecutor said investigating agencies in Collins’ case did not share information with each other that is permitted under law.

Prosecutor Mat Heck Jr. unveiled a list of recommendations to improve child abuse investigations, which he says the Montgomery County Job and Family Services and Children Services Division agreed to implement as soon as possible.

A Montgomery County spokeswoman said the county was supportive of the prosecutor’s recommendations and was already implementing or in the process of implementing them.

>> RELATED: County reviews Children Services’ handling of 10-year-old who died after alleged abuse

The gaps in communication were uncovered earlier this year as News Center 7′s I-Team investigated Collins’ case.

>> I-Team: Lack of communication may have led to system failure in Takoda Collins’ death

News Center 7 widely reported there were numerous red flags reported before Takoda Collins’ death. The I-Team investigation uncovered records showing that the home where Takoda Collins spent the final moments of his life was more well known to law enforcement than we previously knew. Over the course of three-and-a-half years, beginning in June 2016 until Collins’ death in December, police were at the home more than 10 times.

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