Ogden, UTAH — A bill aimed at improving child welfare warrants failed to pass during this year’s legislative session, leaving one local child welfare advocate frustrated and disappointed. The bill, HB 83, sought to address delays in obtaining warrants for child welfare investigations, which advocates argue could have helped prevent tragedies like the death of 12-year-old Gavin Peterson.
Peterson, who died after allegedly suffering severe neglect from his father and stepmother, became a focal point in the push for stronger child protection laws. Sabrina Tracy, a longtime child welfare advocate with personal experience in the system, has been vocal about the need for reforms. She led protests in Peterson’s name and expressed hope that HB 83 would lead to meaningful changes.
“I’ve had my own situation with my grandnephews where we had to wait a really long time for the warrant,” Tracy explained. “I believe HB 83 could have helped in situations like mine, and it might have prevented what happened to Gavin.”
Tracy’s personal experiences with child welfare issues have driven her advocacy, and she had hoped that this year’s legislative session would bring necessary reforms. However, the failure of HB 83 to pass has left her disheartened.
While other child welfare bills did pass during the session, Tracy believes they do not go far enough to address the systemic problems she has witnessed. “For some reason, they’re just not understanding the urgency of this,” she said. “Utah is known for being a family-oriented state, but it doesn’t feel that way when it comes to protecting our children.”
Tracy’s frustration stems not only from the lack of action on the HB 83 bill but also from what she sees as a broader pattern of neglect in the state’s child welfare system. “It feels like we don’t take care of our women and children here,” she said. “There are just too many cases like this that keep popping up.”
Despite her disappointment, Tracy remains determined to continue her advocacy. She recently sent a letter to lawmakers and Governor Spencer Cox expressing her concerns and suggestions for future reforms. “I literally googled ‘Utah senators,’ got every single one of their emails, and blasted it out there,” Tracy said of her direct approach to getting her message across.
A hearing for Peterson’s father and stepmother is set for March 20, and Tracy is preparing to gather a group of supporters to make their voices heard once again. She hopes that, despite the setbacks, her efforts will bring about the change that she believes is urgently needed to protect children in Utah.
As the state continues to grapple with issues of child neglect and abuse, advocates like Tracy remain steadfast in their pursuit of a system that prioritizes the safety and well-being of children.