Family demands answers after child dies in foster care

Wednesday, August 2, 2017
Orange County to investigate toddler's death
Luke Glenn was 3.

HILLSBOROUGH, North Carolina -- The biological family of a 3-year-old boy is demanding answers from Orange County Social Services after the boy's tragic death on Monday.

According to Hillsborough Police, Luke Glenn was found dead at a home on Childsberg Way; first responders received a call reporting a cardiac arrest.

"I loved that baby to death," Lisa Glenn, Luke's biological grandmother, told ABC11. "He had my heart in this world, and now we have to live without him."

Glenn says Luke's older brother, Noah, remains in foster care in another home. County and state agencies do not publicly disclose social services cases.

"We extend our condolences to the family and all the individuals impacted by this unfortunate tragedy," Nancy Coston, Orange County Director of Social Services, said in a statement to ABC11. "We are cooperating fully with the investigation. A full and thorough review of this incident will be undertaken, and the results will be released at the appropriate time."

Orange County lists the following requirements to become a foster parent on its website:

  • You must be 21 years of age.
  • If married, you must have been married for one year. Single people are also eligible.
  • You must have adequate living and sleeping space for all family members and foster children.
  • You must be able to provide adequate supervision to the foster child.
  • You must have enough income to meet your family's basic needs.
  • All members of the household must be in reasonably good physical, emotional, and mental health as documented by completion of a routine physical exam.
  • Each household must have a fire inspection
  • All foster parents are required to complete 30 hours of pre-service foster parent training, and 10 hours of in-service training annually.
  • When you have completed an agency application, one of our social workers will do a home study.
  • A fingerprint check will be completed on each household member over age 18.