BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) -- Kern County's rates of child abuse and neglect are on a downward trend, but they still remain higher than the state average, according to a new report presented at the Board of Supervisors meeting. The report outlined deaths of children between 2019 to 2023. 2024 One Book Project encourages Kern residents to see life through different perspectives In 2023, 136 child deaths occurred in Kern County, 64 of those deaths were included in the full report which was read during Tuesday's supervisors meeting in downtown Bakersfield. Among the 64 deaths, 25 were ruled to be accidental, seven were determined to be homicides, 14 were natural, four were considered to be suicides, and 14 were undetermined, according to Chad Casto the Chairman of the Child Death Review Team. Car accidents were the leading cause of childhood deaths, claiming 13 young lives in 2023, according to the report. Vehicle accident deaths were 62.5% higher than 2022. Never miss a story: Make KGET.com your homepage The report also shows more children died in homicides in 2023, compared to previous years. Suicide rates in Kern also decreased by 30% last year. Deaths by ages in 2023: Ages 1 - 4: 13 Ages 5 - 9: 5 Ages 10 - 14: 6 Ages 15- 17: 19 Childhood Fentanyl deaths have risen over the last five years with an average of 1.9 deaths per 100,000 people. From 2019 to 2023 the 15- to 17-year-old range group was the most impacted group affected by fentanyl deaths, accounting for 67% of fentanyl deaths in the last five years. When categorized by ethnicity, Hispanics are the most affected with 50% of childhood fentanyl deaths the report showed.