Johnston County social workers were planning to visit the house the day Brandon Warren killed his brother and sister, and then himself. In the two months before the shootings, social workers talked with the parents at least 11 times.
The social workers say the Warrens routinely turned them away, forcing them to get a court order for each visit.
"I think they did what they could, and they were like many of the neighbors in the neighborhood. They were stonewalled to where they could not get in or get access or even see the children, I understand in some points," says neighbor Margaret Edgerton.
Department of Social Services officials in Smithfield and Raleigh declined to talk with WRAL about what happened, but in their summary, they say they talked with Brandon and Kyle Warren.
They say both boys appeared clean and well-mannered and showed no signs of abuse. They say the boys even told them there was no need to be involved.
In a written statement, North Carolina's Chief of Children's services says:
"We're all searching our hearts, trying to figure out some way we could have prevented it as an individual. I think anybody does that stays this close to a tragedy when it happens," Edgerton says.
The Department of Social Services plans to assemble an independent review team to look for ways to prevent a similar incident from happening again.
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