Again.

Once again, an innocent young girl is repeatedly abused by the adults who are supposed to love and care for her.

Once again, the Massachusetts DSS had this family under their "care" for years.

Once again, there were repeated reports of abuse, and obvious physical evidence that the child was hurting.

And once again, the outcome is horrific.

There is one major difference between the case of Rebecca Riley and Haleigh Poutre: Haleigh is still alive. Rebecca saved DSS the trouble of trying to kill her after the fact, as they did with poor Haleigh.

Rebecca was so sick, according to school nurses and neighbors, that they could observe it casually, without any investigation or interrogation. Her level of medication was so high, and the amount of drugs the parents were getting from the pharmacist so alarming, that even non-medical professionals were alarmed.

DSS? Last summer, one of their brilliant medical professionals (the same ones that tried to starve Haleigh to death?) checked it out and said it was A-OK. That "public servant" is still overseeing the care of DSS children today.

Which is the one unchanging part of this story that should enrage every rational person: The same people who nearly killed Haleigh Poutre were still running DSS when it left Rebecca in the hands of these psychos to die.

DSS Director Harry Spence--who said DSS had "nothing to be ashamed of" after almost killing Haleigh--still has his job. The DSS state jobber who oversaw Haleigh still has her job, and children in her care today. The DSS stooge in charge of Rebecca is no doubt visiting children right now.

How many children do you have to kill before somebody loses their state paycheck? Under Mitt Romney, we learned (sadly) that the answer to that question is "more than one."

Governor Patrick, at DSS it really IS time for a change.