Some Maryland lawmakers balked at a proposal to eliminate state investigations for less serious child-neglect and -abuse reports ? a proposal supporters said would keep many children from moving unnecessarily to foster homes.

Gov. Martin O?Malley?s administration is proposing “alternative” responses to low-risk child-abuse and -neglect reports that involve intervention rather than investigating and placing children in foster care. But days after a report said Baltimore mother Venice Harris twice asked social services for help before giving her 2-year-old daughter a lethal dose of methadone in June, some lawmakers said investigating every complaint ? serious or not ? may not be a bad idea.