In an audit that lasted from July 2009 to June 2013, nearly $1.3 million in federal food benefits went to over 3,900 single-person households after the participant's death, according to the La. Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera.

Purpera says no one is eligible for those benefits after the recipient's death. Looking closer at the numbers, as Louisiana Radio Network reports, more than $500,000.00 of the nearly $1.3 million was spent four months or more after the recipient's death. The issue is that of time, which needs to be reduced in determining a recipient's death, says Purpera.

The benefits are adminstered by the La. Department of Children and Family Services, who are investigating the cases and are entering a formal agreement with the La. Department of Health and Hospitals to fix this problem.

"So, next time we go in, we'll go back and we'll look and evaluate it for the secretary of DCFS and give them a report on how they're doing."

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