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DSS: Investigation into abuse of 3-year-old started in March

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A 3-year-old boy was still in the hospital Friday in critical condition.  Tuesday, Eyewitness News told you that police arrested that boy's mother, Shamika Reaves, and her boyfriend, Corey McCree, and charged them with abusing him.  Police said the boy was found in a Charlotte motel unresponsive and was rushed to the hospital.
 
Friday, Department of Social Service workers told Eyewitness News that in March they started investigating whether the boy had been sexually abused.  
 
The boy's former babysitter said she called DSS and reported the abuse.  She said McCree told her the boy had been abused by another boy. 
 
"I know they didn't do the job they was supposed to do because if they had he wouldn't be in there fighting for his life," said the babysitter, Gwendolyn Lee.
 
In a statement DSS said it made "repeated efforts to speak to Ms. Reaves (about the complaint) by telephone (and) in person."  They said she "answered some calls, but not all".  DSS said Reaves even agreed to meet with investigators several times, but "did not appear for those meetings."
 
"Somebody's trying to contact you about the abuse of your child and you're acting like that's not important," said Lee. 
 
In April investigators finally interviewed the little boy, but DSS was "unable to reach a conclusion about the allegations."

They said they set up another interview, but Reaves never showed up.
               
The next month is when police found the boy beaten and arrested the couple.
 
We asked DSS if they could have removed the little boy from the home.
               
If we have concerns about a child where we're investigating and we're not getting cooperation and compliance we can present that information in court and a judge can determine if there's significant evidence for removal," said Charles Bradley the Youth and Family Services Director. 
 
Eyewitness News asked if DSS made that request in the Reaves case, but they refused to answer that question, or speak specifically about the case.

Read our past coverage:

Couple charged with child abuse after 3-year-old hospitalized