NASHVILLE (AP) - Gov. Bill Haslam calls the deaths this year of 31children distressing but said there is no immediate evidence of wrongdoing by the Department of Children's Services. The deaths were among children who had come to the department's attention, and 10 were infants who had open case files.

In a meeting he requested with The Tennessean (http://tnne.ws/QHNrWj ), Haslam said Tuesday that he reviewed the reports over the weekend and concluded DCS took appropriate action in each case.

The agency's chief lawyer said last week DCS had been violating a state law that requires it to report each death of a child under investigation to lawmakers.

The number of child deaths was released last week after repeated requests by state Rep. Sherry Jones.