Statement by Gov. Mitt Romney in case involving comatose girl

A statement issued Monday by Gov. Mitt Romney in the case involving an 11-year-old girl allegedly beaten into a coma by her adoptive mother and stepfather:

"One cannot look at the life of Haleigh Poutre without being overwhelmed with sadness. My heart goes out to her.

"Now I ask the question, what could have been done better to help her and to protect her. Yesterday, I read her DSS file. It is over 45 pages, mostly consisting of detailed evaluations and entries over almost 10 years. She was not someone who fell through the cracks -- doctors and social workers were watching, but errors in judgment were made.

"I believe that the people in DSS did what they believed was right. No human is omniscient. But I wonder whether any changes in protocol or procedure may reduce the likelihood of error in the future.

"For this reason, I am establishing a panel to review in depth Haleigh's case history and make recommendations they feel may help in the future. The panel will be announced as soon as possible, presumably by the end of the week. I will ask for their recommendations within 30 days. The panel will come from outside current government employees or officials."