HARLEM — The death of 6-year-old Zymere Perkins has led to the suspension of four Administration for Children's Services managers.
The workers include an assistant commissioner and a borough commissioner in the agency’s Child Protective Division and two managers in its General Counsel’s office, including a director and an assistant director.
“ACS continues to conduct a thorough review of the Perkins case," a spokeswoman said.
"So far, we have identified serious concerns related to ACS’ supervision of the staff who worked with this family,” a spokeswoman said.
The agency said the workers “failed to follow up about gaps in case practice” and the agency “may take other disciplinary action as appropriate.”
ACS Commissioner Gladys Carrión warned at a press conference earlier this month that anyone on her staff who "failed their duty to protect this child will have to answer to me."
All four managers, who received notice of the decision Tuesday, will be suspended for 30 days without pay, according to the spokeswoman.
The agency had already placed five ACS workers on desk duty after Zymere's death last month, including two supervisors, a manager and two child care specialists.
Police believe Zymere endured months of physical abuse at the hands of his mother, 26-year-old Geraldine Perkins, and her boyfriend, 42-year-old Rysheim Smith.
The day he died, Smith hit Zymere with a wooden broomstick until the young boy went limp, officials said.
A preliminary autopsy also showed that the boy had healed fractured ribs, his body was covered in bruises and he had a contusion to his head.
Investigators also found that the apartment where the boy lived with Smith and Perkins had no electricity, rotting food in the refrigerator, mold, mildew and was infested with cockroaches.
Zymere's mother had been investigated by ACS five times for abuse and some of those cases were substantiated. In a jailhouse interview, she told DNAinfo that her boyfriend was to blame for the death.
Zymere’s death has rallied calls from the community and elected officials to reform the agency.
Mayor Bill de Blasio has condemned Zymere's death as "unacceptable" and vowed to improve the agency, but offered no details on how Zymere slipped through the cracks.
Public Advocate Letitia James also said the agency “failed” to protect Zymere.
There are several investigations into the agency from state and local authorities and ACS is conducting its own investigation to find out how Zymere’s death could have been prevented.
His mother and her boyfriend were both charged with endangering the welfare of a child.
