Maine child protection caseworkers have been concerned since late last year that widespread problems within their agency were making their jobs harder and putting vulnerable children at risk. High staff turnover. Low morale. Unmanageable caseloads. Some even said they felt intimidated by superiors. Conditions were ripe for tragedy to strike, and late last year it did. Kendall Chick, 4, of Wiscasset died after being removed by the state from her mother’s care and placed with her grandfather and his fiancee, the latter of whom has been charged with beating the child to death.