Investigation Into Mecklenburg County DSS Grows

The investigation into Mecklenburg County DSS is building.

Auditors are digging deeper into whether DSS mis-used money. They think DSS spent money on office supplies instead of emergency items for needy families. They also wonder what happened to money for Christmas gifts for foster children.

Once again, county manager Harry Jones took responsibility for DSS's money mystery Tuesday night. He said, "It's true that the buck does stop with me."

But county leaders said they still don't know if someone broke the law or whether this was just sloppy bookkeeping. County commissioner Bill James said, "We don't know if a ten thousand dollar check is the only thing that might be wrong or whether there's been people that have stolen millions or hundreds of millions, there's no way to know because we haven't finished the investigation yet."

County leaders say police are handling that part of the case. So DSS director Mary Wilson knows people on her staff could serve time for this.

She said, "I hope [it's] not going to be the end result, but we're prepared for that if that happens."

Some people who rely on DSS assume the worst-- that there was a crime, not just carelessness.

Maram Fafa said, "I think someone broke the law."

While police investigate, county leaders are focusing on how to change the way DSS does business.