How Could You?Hall of Shame-Kanaiyah Ward case-Child Death UPDATED

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Prince George’s County, Maryland, 16-year-old Kanaiyah Ward, died on September 22, 2025 “in state foster care. She was found dead in a Baltimore hotel where she was being housed temporarily.”

“A caregiver[you need to say the name! 😡] contracted to watch a 16-year-old foster youth who died in a Baltimore hotel room told police that when she initially couldn’t wake up the girl, she thought it was because she was a “heavy sleeper,” according to a Baltimore police report released Friday.

Almost five hours later, the caregiver said she tried again, but found Kanaiyah Ward with “no visible signs of life,” according to the report. A medic pronounced the girl dead, and the medical examiner’s office subsequently ruled the death a suicide.

The report provides a few new details about the death, which had prompted outrage over the practice of housing foster youth in hotels and other inappropriate settings.

While the Maryland Department of Human Services, which operates the foster care system with local agencies, is discontinuing the practice, Republican members of the state House of Delegates have called for DHS Secretary Rafael López to be fired.

According to police, the “chaperone,” whose name was redacted, said she went to wake Kanaiyah up in her room, in the Residence Inn by Marriott, at around 5:45 a.m. on Sept. 22 to go to school. The girl, who had lived with her family in Prince George’s County, had been a 10th-grade student at Augusta Fells Savage Institute of Visual Arts.”

“Although the company the caregiver works for was redacted,[Again, name it 😡] a spokeswoman for DHS told The Sun that local agencies have “ceased referrals from local departments of social services to Fenwick Behavioral Services on September 24.”

SUN: Baltimore Police release details in hotel death of foster girl Kanaiyah Ward
[Baltimore Sun 11/16/25 by Jean Marbella]

Kanaiyah’s ““Mom was diligently trying to get her out of there and into a facility – because she was not getting any care for the mental health. That much we know, other than medication,” Doyle said.

A recent four-year audit of the state’s social services administration found 280 foster kids were placed in hotels under the supervision of a one-on-one vendor between 2023 and 2024. Dozens of kids stayed in hotels for between three months and two years.

The report says the providers were not licensed and didn’t go through criminal background checks.

Del. Mike Griffith called Kanaiyah’s death an “absolute outrage.”

He grew up in Maryland’s foster care system. He’s drafting legislation called Kanaiyah’s Law that will require training, licensing and criminal background checks for providers.”

What happened to Kanaiyah? Teen girl found dead in hotel while in Maryland foster care
[NBC Washington 10/2/25 by Darcy Spencer]

Maryland Department of Human Services! You should be ashamed!

REFORM Puzzle Piece

UPDATE:“The Senate chair grilled DHS officials about how some foster care children who can’t be placed are staying in hospitals for 60 to 100 days. They don’t receive services or schooling, and they can’t even go outside.

“This child was in a room for 60 days. No treatment. Couldn’t go outside. Had food and clothes — that was it. And I was told DHS doesn’t take custody until they have placement for children,” said Senate Finance Committee Chairwoman Pam Beidle, D-District 32.

“We are actively involved in identifying placements. We work closely with the family to work through the VPA, identify alternatives to being in that hospital,” said Stephen Ligget-Creel, senior adviser to the DHS secretary.

DHS doesn’t take responsibility for the child until a voluntary placement agreement is signed by a parent or guardian. Committee testimony indicated sometimes foster children stay in hospitals as long as 100 days.

“It is not fair to the children who need behavioral health or medication. We are not helping children when we leave them in a facility like that,” Beidle said.

DHS officials told lawmakers on Wednesday that there are seven children currently experiencing a hospital overstay — a 65% decline from the same time last year. Five of those children will soon be placed.

Reform measures being taken by DHS include establishing a permanent cross agency oversight mechanism in the Governor’s Office for Children, creating a children and youth placement manager position, convening a rapid response placement team for overstays and improving data tracking and sharing.

Still, Ward’s death in September 2025 revealed other issues. DHS said children are no longer placed at hotels. Committee members said DHS workers are concerned about CJAMS, a tracking system.

“A lot of DHS folks are saying CJAMS has been really difficult to work with. It has been very clunky. That’s why they had to resort to cataloging things on spreadsheets,” said Sen. Clarence Lam, D-District 12.

“We have identified areas where it is clunky, and we’re working to refine them,” Ligget-Creel said.

“The well-being of our young people is our top priority. We will not rest until every child in the state is safe, thriving in a permanent home, surrounded by loving family,” said Webster Ye, chief of staff for the DHS secretary.

DHS and its work group provided lawmakers with a thick call for action plan. According to the agency, officials are also implementing five previously passed bills designed to improve performance and enhance transparency.”
Maryland DHS officials grilled by lawmakers following death of girl living under state care
[WBAL 1/29/26 by David Collins]