The state of North Carolina is investigating how Avantae Deven, a woman accused of killing her two adopted children, was able to adopt them, WRAL Investigates has confirmed.
The state of North Carolina is investigating how Avantae Deven, a woman accused of killing her two adopted children, was able to adopt them, WRAL Investigates has confirmed.
Avantae Deven is accused of murdering and concealing the deaths of Blake and London Deven, two of her five adopted children. She is charged with first-degree murder, concealment of death, kidnapping and felony child abuse. If convicted on the murder charges alone, she could face the death penalty.
Public documents show Blake, 17, was reported missing in January 2024 even though police did not publicly announce his disappearance until late March 2024. London was reported missing on April 4, 2024, years after she was last known to be living in Fayetteville. In April, Fayetteville police found partial skeletal remains in the search for Blake and London.
Timeline of the Deven children and case
WRAL Investigates asked the state Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) if it would investigate how Avantae Deven secured adoptions in western N.C. in Buncombe, McDowell and Madison counties.
A spokesperson said, “Yes, NCDHHS will partner with all counties to conduct a thorough assessment of decision making that led to selection of Ms. Deven as an adoptive parent.”
WRAL News also asked if NCDHHS Secretary Kody Kinsley would support a law change to require a Division of Social Services (DSS) agency to perform check-ins with families of adopted children post-adoption.
The spokesperson didn’t answer the question directly but instead said NCDHHS reviews and assesses policies to make sure changes happen when needed.
When WRAL News asked the state whether Avantae Deven was still accepting adoption support money from the state when Blake went missing, the NCDHHS spokesperson could not comment on a specific case.
An arrest warrant dated June 26 indicates Avantae Deven forced one of Blake’s siblings to purchase tools and items from a store to use to dismember his body, according to the warrant.
The warrants also state Avantae Deven enlisted a friend of the family to pretend to be Blake during a visit from the Cumberland County Department of Social Services.
