The AG is prosecuting her for not reporting a CYS case in Clinton County. Now she works for Centre County
A former Clinton County Children and Youth Services employee is awaiting her formal arraignment for failing to report a case of child abuse, but she is currently employed at a Centre County office as a caseworker.
Clinton County District Judge Frank Mills released Keshia Conway, 28, of Lock Haven, on her own recognizance and the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office assumed jurisdiction over the case. Her formal arraignment is scheduled for April 23.
According to the Lock Haven Express, Conway went to a Renovo residence to investigate a complaint of head lice and drug abuse. She spoke with the mother of the children on the front porch and the mother said the head lice was addressed and denied using drugs.
Her two children eventually came out on the front porch and the 4-year-old had numerous decaying teeth. Another CYS employee asked Conway if she noticed the child's teeth and she said she did, but didn't report it to her supervisor because she didn't want to be involved with the family longer than she had to be.
John Kelly, a pediatric dentist, said 11 of the boy's primary teeth decayed and eight of those 11 would likely require root canal therapy and crowns to restore them.
"This is one of the worst cases of dental neglect that I have ever seen in over 40 years of practice," Kelly said.
Conway was terminated in August, according to the Lock Haven Express.
She is currently employed at the Centre County Office of Mental Health/Intellectual Disabilities/Early Intervention as a caseworker, according to a Centre County human resources employee.
The general description for that position is to "provide case management for an assigned caseload, assisting them with receiving needed services to carry out a life management plan."
Someone applying for a position in the mental health office will be put through the same process as all Centre County employees.
Applications are forwarded to the hiring department or manager. The application is reviewed to verify if the applicant meets the requirements for the position. The hiring manager will then evaluate the applications using a set criteria to decided which applicants are brought in for an interview.
All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory completion of pre-employment screenings, which may include, but is not limited to, a criminal history check through the Pennsylvania state police P.A.T.C.H system, drug screening and medical examination. Additional clearances may also be required by the Department of Human Services, depending on the nature of the position.
A conviction of a crime will not automatically result in a denial of employment. The nature and the gravity of the offense, whether it is related to the job and when it occurred are all things that are considered.
If a previous record is found, the applicant will have the opportunity to provide information about their record. The details provided by the applicant will be provided for consideration to the Board of Commissioners, human resources, risk management and the hiring department head.
If one of those four parties is concerned with the applicants previous history, a decision will be made by the Board of Commissioners on whether to rescind the offer of employment.
This story was originally published April 11, 2018 at 4:46 PM with the headline "The AG is prosecuting her for not reporting a CYS case in Clinton County. Now she works for Centre County."