AUGUSTA, Maine (WABI) – One organization is calling for the state legislature to reject a recent report concerning child deaths.
Walk a Mile in Their Shoes is a nonprofit that advocates for child welfare and protection to reduce child abuse and homicides in Maine.
On Oct. 23, they sent a letter asking the state‘s Government Oversight Committee to reject the recently-released report from the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability (OPEGA).
This report reviewed the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Office of Child and Family Services’ actions taken in the cases of four child deaths in 2021.
Walk a Mile’s complaint comes from the case analysis of Sylus Melvin, a one-month-old Milo infant who was killed by his father in Aug. 2021.
In August of last year, Sylus’ father, Reginald Melvin, was sentenced to 25 years for the murder of his infant son. He originally pled not guilty, but accepted a plea deal that charged him with domestic violence manslaughter.
While the report says the CPS caseworkers were thorough in their efforts, Walk a Mile says prior reported domestic abuse was not seen as the red flag it should have been.
“I think there‘s two issues: One is the report does not bring to the highest level domestic violence in families, and they need to change that,” explains Bill Diamond, founder and director of Walk a Mile in Their Shoes. “And if this report isn’t changed, then it’s going to go on for the next case that’s reviewed and again and again, that domestic violence is really not recognized as being serious when it’s very serious.”
Diamond says Walk A Mile hopes the committee will send the report back to be rewritten, this time with a highlighted emphasis on the prior domestic abuse.
He went on to suggest that DHHS implement a policy that places individuals with a record of domestic violence in a specialized category so caseworkers are better equipped to handle situations like Sylus’.
If the report is accepted as is, Diamond says the group will “speak up even louder” to raise awareness of domestic abuse and child endangerment.
It is not known when the next time the Government Oversight Committee will meet to decide the fate of the OPEGA report.
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While influenza remains the top concern for Maine public health experts, other viruses are also currently circulating, including norovirus and COVID-19.
“Influenza is clearly the main event,” said Dr. Cheryl Liechty, a MaineHealth infectious disease specialist. “The curve in terms of the rise of influenza cases was really steep.”
Maine reported 1,343 flu cases for the week ending Jan. 3, an uptick from the 1,283 cases recorded the previous week, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Hospitalizations increased to 147 from 108 during the same time periods.
“I hope the peak is now,” Liechty said, “but I’m not really sure.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Friday that all of New England, except for Vermont, is currently experiencing “very high” levels of influenza. Vermont is in the “moderate” category.
“What we are seeing, overwhelmingly, is the flu,” said Andrew Donovan, associate vice president of infection prevention for Northern Light Health. “We are seeing both respiratory and gastrointestinal viruses in our patients.”
Norovirus also appears to be circulating, although due to its short duration and because it’s less severe than the flu, public health data on the illness — which causes gastrointestinal symptoms that typically resolve within a few days — is not as robust.
“Norovirus is the gastrointestinal scourge of New England winters and cruise ships,” Liechty said.
According to surveillance data at wastewater treatment plants in Portland, Bangor and Lewiston, norovirus levels detected in those communities are currently “high.” The treatment plants participate in WastewaterSCAN, which reports virus levels in wastewater through a program run by Stanford University and Emory University.
Dr. Genevieve Whiting, a Westbrook pediatrician and secretary of the Maine chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said viruses are prevalent right now, especially the flu and norovirus.
“For my patients right now, it’s a rare encounter that I hear everyone in a family has been healthy,” Whiting said. “I’ve had families come in and say their entire family has had norovirus. Several of my patients have had ER visits for suspected norovirus, where they needed IV fluids because they were dehydrated.”
Both Liechty and Whiting said they are seeing less respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, likely because there has been good uptake of the new RSV vaccine, which is recommended for older people and those who are pregnant. The vaccine was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2023.
“The RSV vaccine has been a real success, as RSV was a leading cause of hospitalizations for babies,” Whiting said.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 cases increased to 610 in the final week of 2025, compared to 279 the previous week. Influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations are available at primary care, pharmacies and clinics across the state.
“If you haven’t gotten your flu shot yet,” Liechty said, “you should beat a hasty path to get your shot.”
Defensemen Max Wanner was re-assigned to the Maine Mariners from the Providence Bruins on Thursday. Defenseman Michael Underwood was also re-assigned to Maine.
Wanner, 22, was acquired by the Boston Bruins when they traded Trent Federic to Edmonton last March. He played in 15 games for the AHL Providence Bruins at the end of last season, and seven this season.
Underwood returns for his second stint with the Mariners. He appeared in 67 games with Maine last season.
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