Philadelphia mayor orders review of foster care system after murder of 10-year-old
A Philadelphia foster parent has been charged in the murder of a 10-year-old.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker has signed an executive order establishing a Child Welfare Review Committee to strengthen protections for children in foster care after the killing of 10-year-old Malayshia Alford.
Parker said the death of Alford "has shaken me and our city at its core," in a recorded video statement posted on social media Tuesday.
Parker is now requiring that the city of Philadelphia "do more" by creating the committee comprised of child welfare and foster care experts to provide recommendations to strengthen the foster care system and prevent child abuse-related injuries and fatalities, she said.
The committee will examine the child welfare system, including the Philadelphia Department of Human Services and foster care agencies, Parker said.
"I want this investigation to be thorough, comprehensive and independent, and I want its results and recommendations to be on my desk within 120 days," Parker said.
The committee, which will comprise up to 15 experts appointed by the mayor, will serve as an advisory board to the mayor, according to the executive order.
The committee is tasked with reviewing matters, including the process of placing children in and selecting foster homes, licensing of foster homes, systems of oversight for foster homes and visitation requirements, according to the executive order.
The committee will disband after the mayor accepts its final report, according to the executive order.
Alford's foster parent, 36-year-old Carprice Williams, has been charged with the 10-year-old’s "brutal murder," according to officials.
Alford was initially reported missing, but after a dayslong search, she was found in a vehicle in New Jersey last week, according to police. Her cause of death was blunt force trauma, according to Philadelphia Assistant District Attorney Ashley Toczylowski.
"We do have the indication that there were instances of abuse happening, and that items were used to carry out that abuse," Toczylowski said during a news conference last week.
Parker vowed to "leave no stone unturned" in the death of Alford and make any changes necessary to ensure that it never happens again.
There will also be an interdisciplinary review by the city's Act 33 team to assess the city and state's performance in this case, as required by child protective services law when a child abuse fatality occurs, Parker said.
The Act 33 review will also produce recommendations on how to prevent future child abuse, Parker said.
"Every child matters in Philadelphia and we are going to make sure we cross every 't' and dot every 'I' as we seek justice for Malayshia and we do everything in our power to improve our Department of Human Services and Child Welfare System," Parker said.
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