Nash County leaders call for resignation of Social Services leadership after 2 children die under their care
Nash County leaders are sharing their concerns about the leadership of the county’s Department of Social Services.
It comes after WRAL Investigates found two children have died while under the care of Nash County DSS since 2020.
“I have skepticism and lack of confidence in leadership and the process that we have,” said Nash County District 1 Commissioner Marvin Arrington.
Arrington said the accountability process for Nash County DSS “is not working very well.”
It comes after Nash County deputies said Christal Lane was beaten to death by her grandmother in February. She was 8 years old.
As WRAL Investigates looked into Christal’s death, social workers revealed that a 1-year-old, Chase Hilliard, died in 2020 while under the care of Nash DSS. Family members said the boy’s mother, Vonquetta Hilliard, has special needs and Nash County DSS became involved in her care while she was still pregnant.
“As a commission, we can’t find out but so much because the administration is able to hide behind confidentiality of social service cases,” Arrington said.
Nash County District 6 Commissioner Gwen Wilkins echoed Arrington’s sentiments.
“The problem is still there. The three at the top need to go,” she said, referring to Nash DSS Director Amy Pridgen-Hamlett, deputy director Shea Neal and program administrator Kimberly Nicholson.
“We’ve now had two children that have died while under DSS custody in the past two years. That is totally unacceptable,” Wilkins said.
On Tuesday, WRAL Investigates reached out to Pridgen-Hamlett, Neal and Nicholson for a response to the calls for them to resign. They have not responded.
WRAL Investigates also reached out to the other five Nash County commissioners for their response. Four of them didn’t respond and Chair Robbie Davis declined to comment.
Davis said the board is planning a special session on Friday morning to discuss the social services department.
