OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — An Oklahoma House committee has officially sent the order in for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations (OSBI) to investigate several departments such as the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) for misconduct when handling child welfare cases.

FOX23 told you about this possible order to the OSBI after an emergency hearing last week.

On Wednesday, the House Committee on Criminal Justice and Corrections believed they had enough signatures and evidence to send to the OSBI to open their investigation.

This all began because families were coming forward saying DHS was not acting on, and even lying about, crimes against children.

FOX23 spoke with State Rep. J.J. Humphrey, Chair of the House Committee on Criminal Justice and Corrections, who began this order.

He said this is all about protecting Oklahoma children and holding departments like DHS accountable.

“We believe we have the proper signatures and we’re sending in the statute that I think gives us that authority to order an investigation,” he said.

Humphrey is one of several who believe DHS and other departments have lied and covered up crimes against children in Oklahoma.

“I think we have overwhelming evidence that would support an investigation,” he said. “Again, we are not saying we have absolute 100 percent proof, but if you go back and watch the hearing that we held there in the Criminal Justice and Corrections committee, I think that we have more than sufficient, absolute sufficient to have grounds to warrant an investigation.”

The investigative order is a four-page request from the committee to the OSBI.

It lists two items that the representatives called “critical and urgent matters.”

The first is an investigation into “detention and care facilities” for the possible abuse of children and disabled adults.

It lists DHS, the Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA) and the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth (OCCY).

It also lists three juvenile detention facilities including one in Norman, one in Enid and the Family Center for Juvenile Justice (FCJJ) in Tulsa.

“And again this is just not one case, we are getting hundreds of cases, talking about our system, not just DHS, but the court system, the guardian ad litem, all of these calls that just seem to be willing to move kids in harm’s way, our system seems to be doing much worse for children in certain cases,” Humphrey said.

The second item listed in the investigative order is an investigation into “OKDHS Child Welfare and Child Protective Services” on behalf of six families, who all claim major misconduct by DHS.

“It is time that these agencies answer to people, answer to the government as they’re supposed to,” Humphrey said. “They are unelected bureaucrats and again, anyone that sees evidence of child abuse, child sexual abuse, physical abuse, and does nothing, that’s disturbing.”

If investigated, Humphrey believes enough will be found to involve the FBI.

“I believe we’re gonna find human rights and civil rights violations, and that would warrant them calling the FBI,” he said.

Humphrey said there is a need for these departments like DHS and OCCY, but they need to be held accountable and follow state law.

DHS sent the following statement to FOX23:

“Oklahoma Human Services is an advocate for transparency and will fully cooperate with any investigation into the agency.”

The OCCY sent the following statement to FOX23:

“The Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth (OCCY) is committed to ensuring that children, youth, and families are served and supported by caring and competent individuals, allowing them to reach their full potential. Our agency’s primary functions are to provide oversight to Oklahoma’s child-serving systems and to seek solutions to systems-level challenges.

OCCY is not aware that an OSBI investigation related to any comments made at the recent committee hearing has been initiated. If there is an investigation, OCCY will fully cooperate with law enforcement. If OSBI finds any deficiencies within OCCY, we would take corrective actions as necessary.

OCCY investigates public and private children’s services and facilities, and if violations or areas of concern are discovered, we request corrective actions to be taken. OCCY does not plan to make any public comments about specific cases.”

The Tulsa County Board of Commissioners sent the following statement in regard to the FCJJ:

“The Board of County Commissioners has strived to be as transparent as possible since taking over operations of the Tulsa County Juvenile Detention Home in July. We would be fully cooperative with any investigations into the facility.”

FOX23 has reached out to the OJA, but have not heard back at this time.