Social work cases involving allegations of child abuse and neglect usually unfold out of the public's eye due to confidentiality requirements.

One tragic exception is when a child known to social workers dies.

"Fatalities are the only cases where you get a window into the workings of an agency," said Dr. Richard Gelles, dean of the University of Pennsylvania's school of social work.

Last July, paramedics were called to the Madison home of Ee Lee and her husband, Chue Vang. The couple's 6-week-old daughter, Anastasia, was found dead.

Lee was charged with first-degree intentional homicide. Prosecutors allege she repeatedly abused her daughter, at one point slamming the infant's head on a table with all her might.

About two weeks earlier, the Dane County Human Services Department had been notified by medical personnel of possible abuse. The girl's family had taken her to a hospital because of bruises on her face and feet.

A county social worker observed the child, spoke with medical personnel several times and met with the family, according to county officials. In consultation with his supervisor, the social worker concluded the infant would be safe at home while the county conducted an investigation because there were several trustworthy adult family members living in the house, including the child's paternal grandparents.

The county's safety plan required that the mother never be left alone with her daughter.

The state Department of Health and Family Services is completing a review of the county's actions — standard practice in such cases. The review is expected any day.

Such reviews can provide answers as to whether state law and agency policies were followed, whether social worker caseloads are too high and whether social workers are properly supervised, Gelles said.

The county's internal review found the social worker "met all of the state legal requirements mandated for child protective services."

The mother's criminal case was put on hold in November after a judge found her incompetent to stand trial and ordered her to spend up to a year in a state mental hospital for treatment.

In December, an attorney filed a notice of claim against Dane County on behalf of Anastasia's estate blaming the county for failing to act on the reported abuse. The notice of claim is the required precursor to a lawsuit.

— Doug Erickson