468                                  LAWS OF MARYLAND                          [CH. 221

condition and provided, further, that if the person making the report
believes or has reason to believe that immediate protection of the
child or children is necessary to insure the physical safety or welfare
of the child or children involved, then in such event, the matter shall
also be reported to the appropriate law enforcement agency. The
written reports required to be made shall be made in all cases to the
local department of welfare and to the local state's attorney.

The oral and written reports shall contain the following informa-
tion, or as much thereof as the person making the report shall be able
in the circumstances to furnish:

(1)  The names and home address or addresses of the child or
children and the parent or other persons responsible for the care of
the child or children in question;

(2)   The present whereabouts of the child or children if not the
same as the home address or addresses;

(3)   The age or ages of the child or children;

(4) The nature and extent of the injuries or injury of the child
or children in question, including any evidence or information avail-
able to the person or agency rendering the report of previous injury
or injuries possibly resulting from malicious mistreatment or beating;

(5) All such other information available to the reporter which
would be of aid in establishing the cause of the injuries and the
identity of the person or persons responsible therefor.

A report made by anyone other than a health practitioner, edu-
cation or welfare worker, or law enforcement officer may be either
written or oral, or both, and such reports shall be regarded as a
report within the provisions of this Act, whether or not the report
contains all of the required, information provided for in this sub-
section. Such reports by private persons or agencies other than the
local department of welfare shall be promptly referred by the receiv-
ing agency to the local department of welfare. The local department
of welfare shall promptly interview the private party who has made
a report of possible violations of the provisions of this Act, to deter-
mine if there is probable cause to believe that the child or children
in question, has in fact sustained physical injury as a result of abuse,
as by malicious beating, striking or other such cruel or inhumane
treatment. If the local department of welfare determines that there
is probable cause to so believe that a violation of this Act has been
committed, then the local department of welfare shall proceed with
the investigation required under Section (e) hereof.

(e) The local department of welfare shall make a thorough investi-
gation promptly upon receiving a report of probable violation of this
Act, and the primary purpose of the investigation shall be the pro-
tection of the welfare of the child or children. The investigation shall
include a determination of the nature, extent and cause or causes
of the injuries, the identity of the person or persons responsible
therefor, the name, age and condition of other children in the same
household, an evaluation of the parents and the home environment,
and all other facts or matters found to be pertinent. The local de-
partment of welfare shall render a complete written report of its
findings to the local state's attorney within five (5) working days of
the completion of the investigation, which shall be within ten (10)