Complex Child Abuse Section
In September 2016, the Complex Child Abuse Section (CCAS) was established to enhance the prosecution of cases involving abused, neglected, tortured, and murdered children. CCAS was created to ensure that specially assigned prosecutors are equipped to pursue justice on behalf of vulnerable children, hold offenders fully accountable, and safeguard the integrity of resulting convictions. The section emerged from the growing recognition that cases involving severe child abuse or neglect—resulting in abusive head trauma, catastrophic injury, or death—present extraordinary medical and legal challenges. Determining the cause and timing of death or injury in these cases is often highly complex and requires prosecutors to navigate intertwined medical, legal, community, and child dependency issues while effectively countering increasingly sophisticated defense strategies.
CCAS handles any death or devastating injury of a child under the age of 13 involving torture, severe malnutrition and neglect, abusive head trauma, prolonged patterns of abuse, fentanyl poisoning, and cases involving medically complex causes of death or time of death issues.
CCAS prosecutors receive specialized training in child abuse homicides, DCFS and Dependency Court issues, and abusive head trauma. They utilize a multidisciplinary team-based approach, collaborating closely with detectives, child abuse pediatricians, and social workers from the beginning of an investigation through the conclusion of criminal proceedings. Further, CCAS cases are vertically prosecuted, with the same attorney guiding the case from start to finish to ensure continuity and expertise.
Since its formation, CCAS has fielded thousands of calls for assistance from law enforcement agencies and child abuse pediatricians seeking specialized guidance. CCAS prosecutors have provided training on child physical abuse, abusive head trauma, and child homicides to law enforcement and prosecutors at the local, national, and international levels. In addition, they regularly collaborate with child abuse pediatricians, law enforcement, and social workers in child abuse conference presentations. They regularly attend, present at, and contribute valuable insight to ICAN Child Death Review Team meetings and Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect team roundtables held at hospitals throughout the county.
The Complex Child Abuse Section is a specialized unit within the Family Violence Division.
If you suspect that a child is being abused, call the Child Protection Hotline at 800-540-4000 AND contact your local law enforcement agency.
