Agnel Philip
I’m a data reporter at ProPublica.
Need to Get in Touch?
I welcome any tips regarding interesting datasets or issues you believe haven’t gotten enough coverage.
What I Cover
I dig deep into datasets to document and uncover waste, fraud, abuse and harm. I’ve covered a wide range of topics, from child welfare to flight tracking to water quality, using publicly available, internal and sometimes self-created databases. I am especially passionate about covering issues affecting local communities, as I did on projects about the decadeslong failure of the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to return Native Hawaiians to ancestral lands and about the practice of jailing those awaiting treatment for mental illness in Mississippi.
My Background
Prior to joining ProPublica, I was a data reporter on the investigations team at The Arizona Republic, where I investigated tribal casinos, pedestrian safety and consumer issues. I have two degrees in journalism and economics from Arizona State University.
Some Are Jailed in Mississippi for Months Without a Lawyer. The State Supreme Court Just Barred That.
Criminal justice reformers have long complained that the state’s rules on appointing public defenders leave poor defendants without a lawyer as they wait to be indicted.
Local Reporting Network
It Took Just Five Months to Lose Her Rights to Her Kids Forever
Twenty-five years ago, Congress passed a law aimed at speeding up adoptions of children languishing in foster care. In the process, it destroyed hundreds of thousands of families through the termination of parental rights.
For Black Families in Phoenix, Child Welfare Investigations Are a Constant Threat
One in three Black children in Maricopa County, Arizona, faced a child welfare investigation over a five-year period, leaving many families in a state of dread. Some parents are pushing back.
How We Analyzed Child Welfare Investigations
Reporters crunched data from millions of child protective services cases to understand who is most affected by the system.
Michigan’s Largest Utility Wants a Rate Hike as It Disconnects a High Number of Customers for Nonpayment
DTE Energy has cut off power to customers more times in 2022 than in any nine-month period since the state began tracking shut-offs.
Local Reporting Network
Mandatory Reporting Was Supposed to Stop Severe Child Abuse. It Punishes Poor Families Instead.
After the Sandusky child abuse scandal rocked Pennsylvania, the state required more professionals to report suspected child abuse. That led to a strained child welfare system and more unsubstantiated reports against low-income families.
Help Us Investigate Termination of Parental Rights in the Child Welfare System
If you’ve faced having your parental rights terminated in the past decade, ProPublica and NBC News would like to connect with you to understand how your case was handled.
The COVID Testing Company That Missed 96% of Cases
State and local officials across Nevada signed agreements with Northshore Clinical Labs, a COVID testing laboratory run by men with local political connections. There was only one problem: Its tests didn’t work.
Profitable Utility Company Shut Off Electricity to Homes Thousands of Times
Three months into the pandemic, Michigan’s largest power company began ramping up power shut-offs for customers behind on their bills.
Local Reporting Network
FAA Suggests Steps to Improve Aviation Safety in Alaska. Some Experts Say They’re Not Enough.
In a recently released report, the FAA recommended safety measures to address Alaska’s high share of aircraft accidents.
Local Reporting Network