Mistakes contributed to child's death

DALTON - Whitfield County child services officials say mistakes and missed warnings resulted in four-year-old Joshua Daniel Porter starving to death last year. <br> <br> Joshua&#39;s mother, 27-year-old Stephanie Ann Saine, faces ten to 20 years in prison when she is sentenced next month. She was initially charged with murder, but pleaded guilty last week to a reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter. <br> <br> Officials said there were warnings Joshua was in danger, but the system did not allow for his full protection. <br> <br> Health professionals raised questions about the possibility Joshua was being abused in 1997, but investigations were not conclusive. Reports of neglect continued through 1999, with follow-up investigations by the department of family and the Department of Family and Children Services, but the agency formally closed its case in December 1999.

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