DCFS releases details of child abuse victim Gavin Peterson’s case

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — The Utah Department of Children and Family Services has released a detailed report on its involvement with Gavin Peterson, a 12-year-old boy who died July 9 in what authorities are calling a case of aggravated child abuse.

Several members of the boy’s family have been charged in his death.

The report, required by the federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, describes a complex history of interactions between DCFS and Peterson’s family dating back to 2013.

According to the statement, Peterson was living with his biological father, Shane Peterson, and the father’s girlfriend, Nichole Scott, at the time of his death.

The family had been the subject of several DCFS investigations over the years.

Some of the key points from the CAPTA statement:

• In May 2019, DCFS investigated allegations of child abuse at the Peterson home. While Gavin was not identified as the victim, another child was found to have been physically abused at Scott’s home.
• A February 2020 report led to a finding that Gavin had been abused in another household, resulting in court-ordered in-home services for both households involved in his care.
• Between September 2022 and March 2023, DCFS received multiple reports regarding Gavin’s well-being. Some did not meet the investigation criteria, while others were investigated but concluded as “unsupported.”
• The last DCFS contact with the family before Gavin’s death was in May 2023, when an abuse investigation was closed due to a lack of evidence.

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