Five stories that have North Texas talking: the Cowboys lose in Green Bay; AT&T Stadium hosts a big college game tonight; a camel tramples two people to death; and more.
Texas is not reporting hundreds of child deaths related to abuse and neglect, and more than 50 child welfare workers in recent years have been caught lying to prosecutors or engaged in other case misconduct, according to a newspaper investigation published Sunday. Lawmakers are calling for answers ahead of a new legislative session that begins Tuesday under Gov.-elect Greg Abbott. The findings come from a six-month investigation by the Austin American-Statesman. Between 2010 and 2014, the state did not publicly report 655 child abuse fatalities because caseworkers decided that mistreatment was not directly responsible for those deaths, the newspaper found. Nearly half of the children who died came from families that had been investigated by the state multiple times. Advocates say the state is intentionally suppressing the number of child abuse deaths to minimize culpability. Family and Protective Services spokesman Patrick Crimmins says the agency isn’t trying to hide anything and has followed state and federal laws. Statesman reporters talked about their investigation with the Texas Standard, a new statewide program from KUT, the public radio station in Austin. [Associated Press]
- The Dallas Cowboys’ Super Bowl dreams will have to wait another season. The Cowboys traveled to Green Bay to play the Packers Sunday in the NFC Divisional Round – Dallas lost 26-21. ESPN reports: “Green Bay rallied from an 8-point deficit as Aaron Rodgers threw for two second-half touchdowns to beat Dallas 26-21 Sunday. The Packers (13-4), helped immensely by a video reversal with 4:06 remaining, went undefeated at Lambeau Field this season. … The Cowboys' first postseason trip to Green Bay since the 1967 Ice Bowl for the NFL championship resulted in their first road defeat of the season after eight victories. Dallas got 123 yards rushing from league leader DeMarco Murray and a courageous effort from Tony Romo, who hurt his left leg in the third quarter.” Green Bay faces the Seattle Seahawks next weekend for the NFC Championship.
- Speaking of football: Arlington’s AT&T Stadium will again be in the national spotlight tonight when it hosts the inaugural College Football National Playoff Championship. Ohio State and Oregon, both with 13-1 records, battle at 7:30 p.m. – the game airs on ESPN. The Dallas Morning News takes a look at how the playoff landed in North Texas. Learn more about the matchup from ESPN and SBNation. USA Today explores the new playoff setup: “Major-college football's inaugural four-team playoff, even before Monday's championship game, is by many measures a major success. Let us count the ways.”
- The lawyer for a Texas police officer fired for using a stun gun on a 76-year-old man says there was "nothing unreasonable" about using that level of force during a traffic stop that was captured on dashboard camera video. Former Victoria police officer Nathanial Robinson was terminated last week, less than a month after the video from his patrol car on Dec. 11 garnered international attention. Robinson plans to appeal his firing, attorney Greg Cagle told the Victoria Advocate. Cagle said Robinson, 23, acted constitutionally within the law. Robinson stopped Pete Vasquez for an expired vehicle inspection sticker, and video captured Robinson grabbing Vasquez's arm and pushing him onto the police cruiser. The footage didn't show what happened between the two after falling on the ground. Cagle said Vasquez kicked the officer, and that the level of resistance was a basis for using the stun gun and arresting Vasquez. [Associated Press]
- Authorities say a camel near Wichita Falls trampled to death its caretaker and another man at a ranch that often invited children to see the humped animals. An investigation continued Sunday in the weekend deaths at Camel Kisses Ranch. Authorities say they have removed a large, aggressive camel that was in a fenced area. The Wichita Falls Times Record News reported that 72-year-old Peggye McNair and 53-year-old Mark Mere were found dead Saturday in the fenced area. McNair had raised camels for nearly 20 years. The Wichita County Sheriff's Office said in statement that both were apparently trampled. It was not clear what may have provoked the camel. [Associated Press]
