As police probe child’s death, Mecklenburg County DSS director resigns
There is turnover and unrest in Mecklenburg County. Department of Child, Family and Adult Services Director Kim Henderson is being removed from her position after three years. A county spokesperson told Channel 9 his resignation had nothing to do with any specific case.
But the moment comes as the county commission investigates what happened in the days, weeks and months before Dominique Moody’s death.
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“We want to make sure our processes, policies and procedures are followed,” said Mecklenburg County Chairman Mark Jerrell. “When that’s not the case, we need to hold others accountable, and we need to hold ourselves accountable.”
Police said the 6-year-old was found dead in December, weighing just 27 pounds after being kept in a dog cage and bound with duct tape. Channel 9 cameras filmed his house in disarray. At a press conference last week, attorney Ben Crump said there had been five reports to DSS CFAS and no action had been taken.
“Stevie Wonder would see the abuse if you would just do your job and do an inspection,” Crump said.
The county did not say when DSS last visited Moody’s home.
After an event in Ballantyne on Monday, Mecklenburg County Chairman Mark Jerrell told Channel 9 the county commission was deeply affected by Moody’s death. He promises that the county will get to the bottom of what happened.
“It’s very sad,” he said. “And those kinds of things, we need to do everything we can to make sure they don’t happen.”
This is the second time Henderson has left a controversial job. In 2022, she resigned as director of the Mayor’s Racial Equity Initiative after Channel 9 and other media outlets revealed that the Ohio State Auditor’s Office had reported more than $3.8 billion in fraud by the Department of Job and Family Services she oversaw in that state. Henderson has not faced any charges.
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Statement from Mecklenburg County:
Kim Henderson has resigned as director of the Department of Children, Family and Adult Services. During her nearly three years in this role, Kim provided dedicated leadership for our social services programs and worked tirelessly to support individuals and families in our community. His commitment, compassion and expertise have had a lasting impact on our team and the residents we serve. We wish him continued success in his next chapter. Kim’s resignation is in no way associated with any recent affair.
Deputy Director Letecia Loadholt has been named interim director of the Department of Children, Family and Adult Services.
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