The director of the Swain County Department of Social Services has been placed on leave amid an investigation into the death of a young member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina.

Tammy Cagle is on paid leave, along with another social worker who allegedly admitted that he falsified records in the case of Aubrey Littlejohn, who died on January 15. The 15-month-old girl was in the county's care.

"I think this is the first step toward justice,” Aubrey's great-aunt, Ruth McCoy, told The Asheville Citizen-Times. “I don't think the people who work here could actually come out and give statements and tell what's happened with cases that have been handled here about kids from the reservation without the director being on suspension.”

The state is investigating whether county social workers failed to follow up on allegations of abuse and drug use within Aubrey's off-reservation home

Get the Story:
Swain DSS director put on leave (The Asheville Citizen-Times 3/29)

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County social workers excluded from Eastern Cherokee lands (3/22)
Eastern Cherokees consider taking child services from county (3/17)
Authorities investigating death of Eastern Cherokee baby girl (2/23)