A Kentucky state worker who investigators say responded to a school after two young children showed signs of severe physical abuse is now facing criminal charges over his handling of the case.Alan Zhang, 24, is charged in Gallat in County with second-degree official misconduct, second-degree wanton endangerment, two counts of failure to report child dependency, neglect or abuse and two counts of fourth-degree assault involving complicity, according to court records.Zhang lives in Boone County and was arrested by the Boone County Sheriff's Office Tuesday on a Gallatin County warrant. Court records show his bond was set at $5,000 cash. He bonded out later that day and is scheduled to appear in Gallatin District Court on Oct. 20.The charges mark a new development in a case that has already led to the arrests of two people accused of severely abusing girls ages 6 and 8 and raised questions about how Kentucky's child protection system responded after their school reported suspected abuse.Gallatin County Attorney Grant Axon told WCPO that prosecutors believe Zhang, a worker with the Department for Community Based Services, failed in his responsibility to protect the children."He certainly failed them in his duty to protect children," Axon said. "Unfortunately, those children were abused again after they returned home at his well, his direction."Axon said that alleged second round of abuse is why prosecutors charged Zhang with complicity to assault, in addition to charges alleging he violated his duties as a state worker.Investigators allege Zhang saw the children's injuries at Gallatin County Lower Elementary School but ultimately told school officials to send them home.What investigators allege happened at the schoolThe case began Aug. 28 when school staff contacted DCBS about suspected physical abuse involving the two girls.According to a criminal complaint filed against Zhang, he arrived at the school roughly 3 1/2 hours later and interviewed both children. Investigators allege Zhang asked a school nurse to photograph each child's injuries and repeatedly asked school staff whether they had contacted law enforcement.The complaint says school staff told Zhang more than once that they believed the Cabinet could contact law enforcement if necessary.As Zhang left the area to speak with his supervisor, Heather Baxter, investigators allege he commented that the children's mother's boyfriend had choked her.After speaking with Baxter, Zhang allegedly returned to the office and said he "wasn't comfortable with the situation" but instructed school officials to send the children home, according to the complaint.Axon said school officials and law enforcement immediately raised concerns about that decision."Phone calls and emails were sent amongst a number of folks with the school, law enforcement, myself," Axon said.School officials objected to sending the girls home, and law enforcement was notified, according to court documents. Gallatin County Attorney Grant Axon previously told WCPO the children arrived home roughly 30 minutes before deputies.Deputies say girls were abused againAccording to the new complaint, school officials called the girls' mother twice. During the second call, investigators say Kyle Reynolds the mother's boyfriend could be heard screaming and cursing about the situation.The school then called 911 to request an officer meet a school representative at the home to ensure the children's safety, court records say.The complaint alleges Zhang never called law enforcement himself.A Gallatin County sheriff's deputy was dispatched to the home after the school requested assistance. Investigators say the deputy contacted Zhang and arranged to meet him there.Once at the home, another deputy contacted Zhang's supervisor. According to the complaint, Baxter told the deputy Zhang had not relayed the extent of the children's injuries. Baxter then sent Zhang back to the home to supplement or redo his investigation.Axon told WCPO that communication between Zhang and his supervisor is now one focus of the continuing investigation.Axon said the Cabinet's policy calls for a frontline worker to communicate with a supervisor in a situation like this, but investigators do not yet know exactly what was said between Zhang and Baxter."What that communication consisted of, I do not know," Axon said. "We are in the process of trying to gather that information right now."A Gallatin County sheriff's deputy was dispatched to the home after the school requested assistance. Investigators say the deputy contacted Zhang and arranged to meet him there.At the home, the complaint alleges Zhang questioned the girls' mother while avoiding eye contact and rapidly reading questions from a sheet of paper. The deputy who filed the complaint wrote that Zhang's questioning made it "very difficult to understand what he was saying" and alleged Zhang showed "complete disregard for his duty or the integrity of his investigation."Deputies ultimately arrested Reynolds.But even after seeing the girls' injuries and Reynolds' arrest, investigators allege Zhang continued to say the Cabinet would not take custody of the children.Court documents also allege Zhang told an EMS worker he "had places to be" and needed to know what was happening so he could leave.Both girls were taken to Cincinnati Children's Hospital and admitted because of their injuries, according to court documents.A physical forensic examination documented 32 visible injuries on one child and 23 on the other and investigators noted that count included only injuries visible while the girls were clothed.The complaint describes black eyes, busted lips, significant bruising on the girls' faces and heads, strangulation marks around their necks and bruising on the fronts and backs of both arms.Investigation could extend beyond ZhangAxon told WCPO the investigation does not end with Zhang's arrest."The investigation itself is not complete," Axon said. "He is not the only individual at the Cabinet who may be facing similar charges."Axon declined to identify anyone else who could be investigated or elaborate on what additional charges could be considered, saying investigators are still gathering information.Axon said his office researched whether Kentucky had seen a similar prosecution of a state social worker but could not independently verify when such a case last occurred. He said he had not encountered one during his own career.Axon also used Zhang's arrest to raise broader concerns about Kentucky's child welfare system.He described what he considers "a systematic failure" within the Cabinet, pointing to a shortage of placements and cases in which children have slept in offices or been placed with people he believes they should not have been."There are not placements available," Axon said. "We have children that sleep in offices. We have children that go back to abusers, as in this case, or other family members that they shouldn't be placed with."State previously cited confidentiality lawBefore Zhang was charged, WCPO repeatedly asked the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services about allegations that a state worker saw the girls' injuries but directed the school to send them home.The Cabinet did not directly address those allegations, citing a Kentucky law that restricts the agency from releasing information from child abuse, neglect and dependency investigations."Team Kentucky is committed to protecting the health and wellbeing of everyone across the commonwealth and treats any allegation of abuse with the highest level of seriousness and urgency," the Cabinet said in its response to WCPO last week.WCPO has reached out to the Cabinet again following Zhang's arrest. A spokesperson provided a statement."The safety and wellbeing of Kentucky children is and will always be a top priority for Team Kentucky," the spokesperson wrote. "The Cabinet for Health and Family Services recognizes the seriousness of these allegations and is working with urgency to review the situation for appropriate next steps."Two others already chargedReynolds, 23, and his girlfriend, Phyllis Culp, 29, were previously charged in connection with the alleged abuse.Reynolds faces charges including attempted murder, first-degree strangulation, first-degree criminal abuse, second-degree assault and endangering the welfare of a minor. Culp faces charges including first-degree criminal abuse, endangering the welfare of a minor, first-degree strangulation and second-degree assault, including charges alleging complicity.Previous court documents allege the girls had been repeatedly punched, kicked and strangled. Investigators also alleged makeup had been used to conceal some of their injuries before they went to school.After hearing testimony in the cases against Reynolds and Culp, a judge found probable cause to send both cases to a grand jury. The judge set their bonds at $1 million each.Girls now in foster placementAxon told WCPO the two girls are currently in foster care, though efforts are underway to place them with relatives."There is a real push to try to get them with family members as soon as possible," Axon said.Axon said a fundraiser has also been established for the girls because they were removed from the home with little more than the clothes they were wearing. His office, located at 509 E Main St. in Warsaw, KY, is also accepting clothing and other comfort items for the children."Donations to this fundraiser will be used for the girls benefit, including clothing, personal hygiene items, comfort items such as weighted blankets and weighted stuffed animals, mental health services and co-pays, and toys," the GoFundMe reads.Zhang is scheduled to appear in Gallatin District Court on Oct. 20. The investigation remains ongoing.This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. ...read more read less