Two Erie County lawmakers are calling on the Department of Social Services to shed some light on the recent case of a 10-year-old Buffalo boy who was murdered by his stepfather. A Buffalo News investigative report revealed that Abdifatah Mohamud called 9-1-1 twice reporting physical abuse in his Guilford Street home. Buffalo Police referred the case to child protective services, but the boy was beaten to death by his stepfather last April.
Legislature chairwoman Betty Jean Grant and legislator Thomas Mazur want a public fact-finding review. Grant tells WBFO News legislators are not placing blame at this point, but do want some answers to find out what went wrong.
"I'm very concerned that he had called 9-1-1 a year before he was murdered. I'm concerned that the proper authorities or agencies did not intervene as much as they should. When a child calls, for him to be that courageous, it definitely shows that there's a problem in that household," Grant said.
"We have to protect future children and future callers to our 9-1-1 system," she added.
Grant says lawmakers expect Social Services leaders to appear before their Health and Human Services Committee meeting in February.
Mohamud's stepfather Ali-Mohamah Mohamud, 41, was convicted of second-degree murder in October. He is serving life in prison.
