Deven murders: NC health department will investigate how woman accused of killing adoptive children was allowed to adopt
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has launched an investigation into the disappearances and deaths of two children allegedly killed by their adoptive mother.
The division will investigate how Avantae Deven, a woman accused of killing two of her five adopted children, was able to adopt them, WRAL Investigates confirmed Tuesday.
Avantae Deven is accused of murdering and concealing the deaths of Blake and London Deven, two of her five adopted children. She is charged with first-degree murder, concealment of death, kidnapping and felony child abuse. If convicted on the murder charges alone, she could face the death penalty.
According to court papers, Avantae Deven adopted London in 2011 in Buncombe County. She adopted Blake two years later from Madison County. Records show the children where home-schooled and never attended schools in Cumberland County.
In April, Fayetteville police found partial skeletal remains in the search for Blake and London.
Timeline of the Deven children and case
Following Avantae Deven's arrest, WRAL Investigates asked the state Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) if it would investigate how Avantae Deven secured adoptions in western N.C. in Buncombe, McDowell and Madison counties.
A spokesperson said, "Yes, NCDHHS will partner with all counties to conduct a thorough assessment of decision making that led to selection of Ms. Deven as an adoptive parent."
State Sen. Val Applewhite, D-Cumberland, hopes the investigation results in helping state agencies better connect when it comes to children.
"Regardless of what they find ... this should be an issue during the next long session and even prior," Applewhite said.
Applewhite said she would be willing to introduce legislation if the state finds things that need to be fixed.
State Rep. Marvin Lucas, D-Cumberland, is a long-time educator.
"We can't afford to lose kids," Lucas said. "That bothers me."
WRAL News also asked if NCDHHS Secretary Kody Kinsley would support a law change to require a Division of Social Services (DSS) agency to perform check-ins with families of adopted children post-adoption.
The spokesperson didn't answer the question directly but instead said NCDHHS reviews and assesses policies to make sure changes happen when needed.
When WRAL News asked the state whether Avantae Deven was still accepting adoption support money from the state when Blake went missing, the NCDHHS spokesperson could not comment on a specific case.
An arrest warrant dated June 26 indicates Avantae Deven forced one of Blake's siblings to purchase tools and items from a store to use to dismember his body, according to the warrant.
The warrants also state Avantae Deven enlisted a friend of the family to pretend to be Blake during a visit from the Cumberland County Department of Social Services.
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