After Kansas 3-year-old in foster care drowned, DCF releases brief summary of child death

The Kansas child welfare agency has released a new report with limited information on the death of a toddler while in state custody.

The Butler County Sheriff's Office told USA TODAY that 3-year-old Michael Aikman was found dead June 16 after disappearing while playing outside near Andover. The toddler, who was reported missing the night before, was found in a waterway near the home where he lived and the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center confirmed the child died as result of an accidental drowning.

The boy had been placed at the residence while in temporary foster care.

The Kansas Department for Children and Families on Monday released a summary in response to a records request from The Capital-Journal.

State law requires that "in the event that a child fatality occurs while such child was in the custody of the secretary for children and families, the secretary shall release the following information in response to an open records request made pursuant to the Kansas open records act, within seven business days of receipt of such request, as allowed by applicable law."

The information to be released are the age and sex of the child, the date of the fatality and a summary of the facts surrounding the death of the child.

The summary states that the 3-year-old boy died on June 16. It added that "Michael wandered away from the aunt's home and on 6/16/24 was found dead in a nearby body of water."

DCF didn't provide any additional information.

Jason Alatidd is a Statehouse reporter for The Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jalatidd@gannett.com. Follow him on X @Jason_Alatidd.