A Snapshot of a Broken Georgia CPS System-Child Death

Two-Year-Old A’Layah Joyner was killed in a trailer park with three female relatives on April 4, 2025. Three of the victims were stabbed and one was suffocated. Let’s hope that the child was the one who was suffocated?I guess that would be a better way to go than to be stabbed to death?

The world is nuts!

“The tragic discovery happened during a wellness check last Friday at the Westwood Trailer Park in Perry, located in Houston County. Inside the home, police found the bodies of four family members — 82-year-old, 51-year-old, and 37-year-old women, along with 2-year-old A’Layah Joyner.”

A’Layah aunt, Teresa Fears, “said she tried to gain custody of A’Layah after the toddler’s mother was arrested for child neglect last year in Houston County. The children were separated, and A’Layah was placed in foster care before eventually being sent to live with a relative on her father’s side — the same home where she was later killed.”

““I was the next of kin on the maternal side,” said Fears. “Typically, DFCS calls the next of kin to place the kids. I never received a call. When I found out, I had to call the caseworker myself, and she was dismissive — told me they already had someone.”

Constance Braswell, who had cared for A’Layah and her siblings before she and her husband moved out to Florida for work, said the family believed the child would’ve been safe with her father, but DCFS never gave him the opportunity to have custody of her. That’s when his cousin stepped up to help him, while he worked to try and get things in order to be able to properly care for the 2-year-old.

“He wasn’t aware that his child was in danger by being there. He fought for her. He wanted her to be with him. He was doing everything right. He even had everything they asked for prepared on Monday and went to them to ask for his daughter. They denied him and then this happened on Friday,” Braswell said.”

Meanwhile, A’Layah’s aunt was under the impression the baby was safe with her father the entire time, not knowing she wasn’t in his care.”

“11Alive reached out to DCFS to ask about A’Layah’s case. We did not receive a response by this report, but a spokesperson did send a statement days later writing that the agency was “heartbroken” over the loss of “this beautiful little girl.” While DFCS said it would not be speaking on the ongoing criminal investigation, it added it is fully partnering with law enforcement to “ensure justice for the victims and their community.” [Of course… its ALWAYS an ongoing criminal investigation…Sure ,Sure, Sure…justice for the victims.. Blah! Blah! Blah!]

‘They dropped the ball’ | Family’s heartbreaking questions for DFCS after toddler’s tragic death
[11 Alive 4/10/25 by Angelina Salcedo]

GEORGIA SUCKS!

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