Mayor Parker orders review of Philly foster care after 10-year-old’s murder

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker ordering the creation of a committee to review the city's foster care system. That's in response to the murder of 10-year-old Malaysia. Mayor Parker now planning to appoint up to 15 people to conduct the independent investigation. So many people are wondering how Malaysia fell through the cracks. So hopefully this is a step toward getting some answers. Seanette, what have you learned about this new committee here? So Jason and Sheba, the mayor laid it all out in a post on Instagram tonight. She says that this committee will be made up of national leaders and experts from fields representing child advocacy, behavioral health, and others. Come before you today to discuss a crisis of unimaginable proportions. The tragic loss of 10-year-old Malaysia Alford is putting a magnifying glass on changes needed to better protect children. Today, Mayor Cherelle Parker signed an executive order to create a child welfare review committee. She says it will require the city to do more through a 15-person committee, which will look at its foster care system thoroughly to see where improvements are needed. The committee's charge is to provide recommendations to strengthen our foster care system and quite frankly to prevent child abuse related fatalities or near fatalities and injuries involving children and youth in our DHS. custody. The Child Welfare Review Committee will assess how DHS, community umbrella agencies and local foster care agencies coordinate services and will look at the following. How children are placed and how foster care homes are selected. City and Commonwealth oversight of foster homes. Foster home licensing and visitation requirements and the city's requirements for contracting with foster care service providers. The committee must submit findings and recommendations within 120 days after convening. At the time of her murder, 10 year old Malaysia was living in a foster care home and in the legal custody of the Philadelphia Department of Human Services, DHS. The city said she was receiving case management services from several agencies and organizations. We will also leave no stone unturned as we seek answers for what happened in this case. As for the investigation, investigators have not announced any other arrests or charges. Right now, only Malaysia's foster care mother, 36-year-old Caprice Williams, is charged with her murder. I pray that God will give this family a certain peace that passes all understanding to meet this moment. And back here live, important to note, the review that will be done by this particular committee is separate from the one required under state law. Jason Sheba. All right, Seanette Wilson in Center City. Thank you very much. More to come there.