Horridge v. St. Mary's County Department of Social Services

WILNER, Judge.

Maryland law requires any person having reason to believe that a child has been subjected to abuse or neglect to make a fairly detailed report to either the local department of social services (DSS), which is a unit of the State Department of Human Resources and therefore a State agency, or an appropriate law enforcement agency. The law requires DSS, promptly after receiving such a report, to make a “thorough investigation” in order to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the child. Part of that requirement is the directive that, if the report is of physical or sexual…