Butler County Children's Services director on paid administrative leave

The Butler County Children's Services director has been placed on paid administrative leave.

Jeff Centers was placed on administrative leave Friday.

Butler County Commissioner Don Dixon says the move was part of a reorganization plan, and did not pertain to any particular children's services cases.

But Dixon says the time frame of the reorganization was moved up because of Centers' work on the case with pending allegations against Shawn and Joanna Blackston, who allegedly locked their 12-year-old daughter in a basement with no food. Children's services was accused of not responding to previous complaints about the Blackstons.

The Blackstons pleaded not guilty in court Tuesday to child endangering charges.

Two other children's services employees who worked on the Blackston case are also on leave.