The District Attorney opened an independent investigation Thursday into the death of 10 year old Malayshia Alford, a girl in foster care, and City Council introduced three resolutions calling for hearings into the system that was supposed to protect her.
District Attorney Larry Krasner said his office will run a thorough and independent investigation into Alford’s care and death, looking at “everyone and every agency, system, and institution responsible for Malayshia’s care and tragic death.” He described it as a “thorough, wide net” to review all responsible parties, and said he could not comment on whether there will be a grand jury investigation.
Alford’s foster mother, Carprice Williams, 36, is charged with murder. Williams was arrested on Nov 4. Alford was in the legal custody of the Department of Human Services at the time of her death.
Council moved the same day. Three resolutions were introduced Thursday calling for hearings into the city’s Community Umbrella Agency system, the School District’s hiring and screening practices, and oversight inside DHS around case management and foster care placement.
Councilwoman Cindy Bass, who represents the 8th District, introduced a resolution authorizing the Committee of the Whole to hold public hearings on the CUA system and the School District’s hiring and screening, including criminal background checks, child abuse clearances, and reporting obligations. Bass has pressed DHS officials over CUA oversight for years, including emotional remarks before Council in 2023.
“These hearings have to lead to real change, some heads gotta’ roll, people gotta’ go,” Bass said.
Councilmember Curtis Jones put it more bluntly. “We’re investigating to change a system that is broken,” he said.
Bass said the hearings have to go further than one investigation or one moment of attention. “We cannot continue to have conversations about children falling through the cracks without confronting the systemic failures that allow it to happen,” she said. “We owe our children more than explanations after the fact. We owe them a system that protects them.” She added, “Every child deserves to be safe, protected and cared for. Malayshia deserved that. Every child in Philadelphia’s care deserves that. We cannot wait for another tragedy to demand action.”
The mayor acted first. On Tuesday, Mayor Cherelle Parker signed an executive order creating a Child Welfare Review Committee of up to 15 experts she will appoint. The committee will examine how the city selects foster homes, licenses them, oversees them, and handles visitation, and it will review DHS and the foster care agencies. It must deliver findings and recommendations within 120 days of convening.
“We must examine our foster care system thoroughly and independently, identify where it must improve and act to better protect our children,” Parker said.
A separate review is also required by law. Philadelphia’s Act 33 team must review the case under Pennsylvania’s Child Protective Services Law, assessing the performance of Philadelphia DHS and Pennsylvania DHS and recommending steps to prevent future child abuse.
The School District offered grief counseling to students and parents after the news broke.
None of this is a finding yet. The DA investigation, the Council hearings, and the mayor’s committee are all just starting, and no hearing dates have been set. What is clear is that three separate arms of city government are now looking at the same question, how a child in the city’s care ended up dead, and whether the system around her failed.
The case also connects to a Council item from earlier in the week. Councilmembers Jones and Phillips have a resolution on social workers wearing body cameras, and it is not yet clear what feedback Council will receive on it. As of Thursday morning, it had not appeared in the Council record.
This story will be updated as the investigation and the hearings develop.
