Mar 22, 2016 3 min read

The state is reviewing how Fayette County handled a case involving a Uniontown couple charged with homicide last week in the starvation death of their 23-month-old daughter.

Department of Human Services spokeswoman Rachel Kostelac said it has convened the “fatality review team” to investigate the death of Lydia Wright, which is required by state law in such cases of a child’s death or near death.

Lydia, whose parents Andrea Elise Dusha and Michael Wright Jr. were charged Thursday with homicide, died of malnourishment Feb. 24 after investigators said she was left in a car seat for more than 13 hours inside her family’s Uniontown home.

Kostelac said Fayette County “provided assessment services” for the case in 2015, but would not elaborate on the details of the services.

Bill Lewis, a constable in the Carmichaels area, evicted Dusha and Wright from their Cumberland Township apartment in February 2015 and contacted Greene County Children and Youth Services immediately about their “deplorable” living conditions. The couple and their three children eventually moved to Uniontown.

It was not known if Lewis’ call to Greene County CYS generated a case or if it was eventually transferred to the agency’s counterparts at Fayette County Children and Youth Services. However, the response from the state Department of Human Services indicates Fayette was aware of the situation last year and was handling the case.

Greg Hook, solicitor for Greene County CYS, said he could not comment on the case or confirm if the agency handled it. But he said any agency is “obligated” to contact a sister agency in another county or state upon learning a family has moved.

Greene County Commission Chairman Blair Zimmerman also said he could not comment on the case, but he saw no need to initiate a local review of Greene County CYS “unless something changes” during the state’s investigation.

Fayette County Commission Chairman Vincent Vicites said he spoke Tuesday morning with Fayette County CYS Administrator Gina D’Auria, but declined to say what was discussed. Vicites said he could not comment on the case or whether Fayette County commissioners plan to review the agency over its handling of it.

The two other children living in the home with Dusha and Wright were taken out of their custody following Lydia’s death. Dusha and Wright are both being held without bond at Fayette County jail while they await their preliminary hearing on charges of homicide, child endangerment and reckless endangerment.