“The state is not your friend,” a local social services director told employees as she urged them not to cooperate with a NC Department of Health and Human Services probe into her agency’s child welfare operations, Carolina Public Press has learned. Surry County Department of Social Services Director Sharon Schueneman made the remark multiple times to social workers during regular staff meetings in which she told them not to speak openly to investigators about issues at the department.
Multiple former Surry DSS staff who were present at those meetings confirmed the account to CPP.
The death of a 14-year-old whose family had previously been reported for allegations of child abuse prompted the state’s involvement with the county starting in December 2024.
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It wasn’t the first time the state had stepped in at Surry DSS. The department had just come off a state-mandated Corrective Action Plan in October 2024, and this latest fatality threatened to put it through yet another. The state issues such plans to address issues at county DSS agencies.
A more extreme option, DHHS warned in a Dec. 20 letter to county leadership, was the divestment of power from Schueneman. In simple terms, the state was considering a complete takeover of county DSS operations.
Former DSS staff said they think Schueneman avoided being removed from her position by undermining the state’s investigation.
Surry child’s death sparks probe
One day before the fatality which launched the state investigation, Surry DSS received an intake report for potential abuse of the 14-year-old child. However, social workers “screened out” that report, which means that they declined to look further into the matter.
The state concluded that Surry DSS was wrong in its decision to screen out the report, and that social workers did not follow proper protocol throughout the screening process.
According to the December letter from DHHS, interviews with the family weren’t thorough, ongoing contact with the family wasn’t made, documentation wasn’t completed, safety assessments were inadequate and supervisory oversight of the case decisions wasn’t conducted according to state policy.
“Family history, including dynamics of family violence, was not adequately assessed in making case decisions,” the letter added.
While the DHHS letter did not name the child at the center of the case, CPP has learned that was Aydan Krishaun Dodson of Mount Airy, who died of blunt force trauma on Dec. 5. According to press releases from the Surry County Sheriff’s Office, Dodson’s mother and stepfather were both charged with first-degree murder.
Deeper issues revealed in Surry Co.
Aside from the fatality case, state investigators reviewed recent Surry DSS intake reports of child abuse that were not accepted for further county involvement. They found that more than 30% of those cases were screened out inappropriately.
DHHS directed Surry DSS to re-screen those cases and assign them for response.
DHHS concluded that “rationale for screening decisions were not based in policy or assessment of risk and safety,” and that the county had abandoned many of the reformed processes implemented as part of its previous Corrective Action Plan that concluded in October.
Additionally, investigators stated that “poor relationships” with local law enforcement and schools were impacting the county’s child welfare practices.
A follow-up letter from DHHS to the county dated Feb. 7 concluded that Surry DSS would be put on another Corrective Action Plan.
The state reserved the right to divest power from Schueneman and take over DSS operations in the case of further violations of policy.
The new plan reinstated protocols required by the previous plan, and required the director to be involved in all screening decisions until the state was satisfied that staff and supervisors were consistently making safe screening decisions.
The state approved a new Corrective Action Plan for Surry DSS in early 2025, and a review dated May 22 concluded that the county had made progress in its goals to conduct more thorough assessments, increase oversight over social workers’ practices and more accurately screen intake reports.
Undercutting reform efforts
From late December through January, state-level child welfare specialists were on-site at Surry DSS regularly to supervise and come to a determination about the best course of action for the county.
Former DSS staff told CPP that Schueneman held meetings before the state investigators would arrive during which she told staff that she stood by the decision to screen out Aydan Dodson’s case.
In those same meetings, child protective services supervisor Crystal Robinson told DSS employees that the state was there to put Schueneman out of a job and that they could not allow that to happen.
When DHHS mandated that Robinson be moved to a different role because of her involvement with the fatality case, Schueneman changed her job title but continued to allow her to be a part of major decisions, the former DSS employees have told CPP.
Although the name was redacted, DHHS said in its Feb. 7 letter that one individual in DSS leadership was “not receptive to constructive feedback” and that their improvement was insufficient. That person, sources alleged, was Robinson, who the state directed to be removed from her position as a supervisor.
Reaction from Surry, NC officials
CPP reached out to Schueneman and Robinson for comment. Only Schueneman responded, claiming that local policies prevented her from answering questions about the matter. She neither denied nor admitted to the allegations that she undermined the state’s investigation. She referred future questions to the county attorneys.
Surry County’s attorneys did not respond to CPP prior to publication of this article.
CPP also contacted DHHS about the allegations regarding Surry DSS. DHHS communications officer Summer Tonizzio gave the following statement in response:
“The health, safety and well-being of children in North Carolina is a top priority for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. We take seriously our role in helping families and communities create a safe, nurturing environment where every child is given the opportunity to thrive and achieve their full potential.
“Per N.C.G.S. §108A-74, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has the authority to evaluate a county department of social services’ provision of child welfare services; it is expected that the delivery of services must be in accordance with applicable state laws, rules, and policies. The NCDHHS-Division of Social Services is responsible for ensuring services within Child Welfare ensure the safety, well-being and permanence of children.
“NCDHHS expects that all local DSS agencies are constantly striving to improve and consistently monitors this work and will provide any needed direction and guidance. When a county consistently falls below expected standards, the state will work with a local DSS agency to improve those outcomes.
“Surry County entered into a Corrective Action Plan on Feb. 7, 2025, and continues to address areas in their plan, including:
- Conducting Thorough Assessments
- Supervisory Oversight to Child Welfare Policy
- Screening Child Abuse, Neglect and Dependency Reports
“Progress has been made in the areas of staff training and establishing agency processes for practice.
“NCDHHS does not have further comment on the Surry County Corrective Action Plan, however, we have and will continue to work closely with each local department of social services and regional directors to ensure that we are achieving the common goal to serve, care for and protect children across the state.”
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