William C. Flook, The Examiner
2006-08-10 09:00:00.0
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Fairfax County -

Fairfax County’s vice chairwoman is calling for a “thorough investigation” by county agencies following the death of a 10-year-old elementary school student to be sure “they did the proper follow-up.”

The death of Taryn, a Canterbury Woods fourth-grader, has seriously alarmed school staff and parents of other Canterbury Woods students who are concerned that signs of her declining health were ignored.

Sharon Bulova, who represents the Braddock District where the school is located on the Board of Supervisors, said she’s spoken to department heads in the police department, Department of Family Services and the school system.

“I just want to make sure that everything is looked into that should be looked into from every level of government … from schools, to police, to child protective services, that everyone is making sure that they did the proper follow-up,” Bulova told The Examiner on Wednesday. “And if not, that things are dealt with as far as what went wrong.”

The Examiner is withholding the girl’s last name to protect the privacy of her family.

Though homicide is not suspected, the state Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet determined a cause of death for the girl, who reportedly suffered from a mild case of cerebral palsy and other health problems. School system employees, who spoke to The Examiner on conditions of anonymity, said she developed a severe rash all over her body in mid-April and her health was visibly declining until her death.

Multiple sources have said the girl’s teacher reported the situation to the principal, but was rebuffed. That teacher and another teacher who worked closely with Taryn have since been transferred from Canterbury Woods.

County agencies have been largely mum on the girl’s death, which is still under investigation by the Police Department pending a report from the Medical Examiner’s Office. A Fairfax County Public Schools spokesman said on Tuesday no review or investigation will be conducted by the school system.

A Department of Family Services spokesman did not reply to a request for comment on Wednesday.

The girl’s mother has denied suggestions that warning signs of her daughters impending death were ignored, and said Taryn saw a doctor “every time we had a symptom.” On Wednesday, she said she would share information on her daughter with an investigation.

wflook@dcexaminer.com