(Jacquelyn Martin/AP)
Melody Marshall, 10, of Washington, walks by a makeshift memorial of teddy bears, flowers, and balloons lining the fence outside the home of Banita Jacks in southeast Washington on Fri, Jan. 11, three days after Jacks' four daughters were found dead in the home. Jacks has been charged with four counts of murder in the deaths of her children.

By Karen Mahabir, The Associated Press
2008-01-11 16:38:00.0
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District of Columbia social workers closed a case on the family of four girls whose mother is accused of murdering them because they assumed the family had moved to Maryland, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty said Friday.

The city never reopened the file even after Maryland officials were unable to locate the family, he said.

The case was closed in May after city workers missed a series of opportunities to help Banita Jacks, who was charged Thursday with four counts of first-degree murder after reportedly telling investigators that the children were possessed by demons and died in their sleep.

The bodies of the girls - ages 5 to 17 - were found Wednesday when deputy U.S. marshals served an eviction notice at the apartment in southeast Washington.

April 30 was the last day anyone from a city agency saw the children, D.C. Attorney General Peter Nickles said at Friday's news conference.

The case was closed May 16 after city officials believed that Jacks had moved to Waldorf, Md. By mid-June, however, Charles County officials said were not able to locate the family and "nothing (was) done to reopen the case," Nickles said.