A Kentucky child protection worker is facing criminal charges after investigators alleged he sent two young girls back to their home despite visible signs of serious abuse, where authorities say the children were beaten again later that day.
Alan Zhang, 24, was arrested in connection with the Gallatin County investigation. He faces charges including official misconduct, wanton endangerment, failure to report child abuse and complicity to commit assault.
The case began on Aug. 28, when staff at Gallatin County Lower Elementary School reported concerns about two girls, ages 6 and 8. School officials had noticed injuries that included black eyes, bruising, marks around the neck and bite marks.
Zhang, who worked with Kentucky’s Department for Community Based Services, arrived at the school about three and a half hours after the report was made, according to the criminal complaint.
Investigators allege he interviewed the girls individually and had a school nurse photograph their injuries. School employees also told him more than once that they had not contacted police because they believed the child protection agency would do so if law enforcement was needed.
During the investigation, one of the girls reportedly told Zhang that her mother’s boyfriend had choked her.
Despite those concerns, investigators say Zhang spoke with his supervisor and later told school officials that he was not comfortable with the situation before directing them to send the girls home.
School employees reportedly remained concerned about returning the children to the residence. During a phone call to the home, they allegedly heard Kyle Reynold, the mother’s boyfriend, screaming and cursing.
The school then contacted 911 and requested a welfare check.
By the time deputies arrived, investigators allege the girls had been beaten again.
Authorities ultimately arrested Reynold, 23, in connection with the alleged abuse. The children’s mother, 29-year-old Phyllis Culp, was arrested on Sept. 2.
Both Reynold and Culp face multiple charges related to the alleged abuse of the children. Previous court records describe allegations that the girls were repeatedly beaten and strangled.
The children’s medical examinations later documented the extent of their injuries. According to court records, doctors identified 32 visible injuries on one girl and 23 on the other. The documented injuries included black eyes, facial and head bruising, a busted lip, marks consistent with strangulation and extensive bruising on their arms, legs and other parts of their bodies.
Investigators said the injuries were consistent with the children’s accounts.
The allegations against Zhang did not end with his decision to send the girls home.
When emergency personnel arrived to evaluate the children, investigators allege Zhang told an EMS worker that he had “places to be” and wanted to know what was happening so he could leave.
The criminal complaint also describes concerns about how Zhang handled a follow-up investigation at the home. A deputy alleged that Zhang questioned Culp while looking down and rapidly reading questions from a sheet, making the questioning difficult to understand.
According to investigators, Zhang’s supervisor initially said she had not been told the full extent of the girls’ injuries. She later sent Zhang to the residence to continue or redo the investigation.
The case has also raised questions about communication within Kentucky’s child protection agency. A sheriff’s investigator reportedly attempted to question Zhang’s supervisor about the incident, but investigators say she received a call from a superior instructing her to leave the interview.
Gallatin County Attorney Grant Axon has said the decision to prosecute Zhang was unusual and that his office’s research suggested similar criminal accountability involving a Kentucky child protection worker had not occurred for decades.
Kentucky’s Cabinet for Health and Family Services said it was reviewing the allegations and emphasized that the safety and well-being of children remained a priority.
Meanwhile, the criminal case against Zhang is moving forward. He was booked into the Boone County Jail and released after posting a $5,000 bond. Court records indicate he is scheduled to appear in Gallatin District Court in October.
Reynold and Culp remain separately charged in connection with the alleged abuse of the two girls. The allegations against all three defendants are criminal accusations, and the cases remain pending.
The investigation has brought renewed attention to the decisions made after the girls’ school first reported their injuries, particularly what happened between the initial report and the arrival of law enforcement.
