Family of abused boy wants Republican TV ad pulled

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The grandmother of a 4-year-old boy whose death spurred a closer look at Minnesota’s child protection services is demanding the removal of a Republican television ad that uses her grandson’s case to criticize Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton.

Yvonne Dean tells The Associated Press she had no idea the case would be in a political ad. She says the Republican Party of Minnesota never contacted her family or sought permission to use her grandson’s photo in the ad that began airing Wednesday.

The party didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Dean says her family is just trying to heal following the death of her grandson, Eric Dean, who was killed by his stepmother last year. He’d been the subject of repeated reports of maltreatment that went unanswered by social services.

This story was originally published October 23, 2014 at 11:38 AM with the headline "Family of abused boy wants Republican TV ad pulled."