Foster mom charged in Malayshia Alford murder faced prior abuse claims

Now at 5.30 and back to one of our top stories here, the murder of 10-year-old Malaysia Alford, the little girl reported missing by her foster mother in West Philadelphia, and then more than a week later found dead in the trunk of a car in New Jersey. And now her murder is bringing up many questions surrounding how the system apparently failed her. Our Chris O'Connell is live for us tonight, digging for answers. What have you been able to find tonight, Chris? Well, we've learned that Caprice Williams, who was also a longtime Philadelphia public school teacher, actually cleared security clearances for employment with the school district. Today, we went searching for more answers from agencies involved in the case. Ten-year-old Malaysia Alford was supposed to be safe in foster care. Instead, her foster mother, Caprice Williams, now charged with her murder. But tonight, new questions about why Malaysia was ever placed in the foster home of Williams. This child should not have died. This should not have happened to this child. She should not have been placed in this home. We don't understand how it could have happened. We're going to find out and we're going to hold people accountable. Nadeem Bazar is the attorney representing the estate of Malaysia Alford. He says the 36-year-old public school teacher had already been the subject of an earlier child abuse investigation. In 2021, a four-year-old child nearly died in her care. An indicated finding of abuse led Philadelphia's Department of Human Services to close her foster home. Sources tell us Philadelphia police initiated an investigation, but charges were never filed. The findings didn't stop Williams from fostering again. There was an indicated finding of abuse. The agency that certified her initially closed her home. And the reason why they closed her home was the indicated finding of abuse. But somehow she got in touch with a new agency that allowed her to continue to foster children. Today we went to the Delaware County offices of Pennsylvania Mentor, the foster care agency responsible for Malaysia's case. In a statement, a spokesperson for PA Mentor says, we continue to fully cooperate with law enforcement on the matter as this is an ongoing investigation, we cannot offer further comment. Williams was also a long-time Philadelphia public school teacher, most recently as a fifth-grade teacher at Louis C. Cassidy Academics Plus School in West Philadelphia. Sources say she was working around the time Malaysia disappeared. We're also told Williams had cleared all three required background checks. State police, FBI, and Pennsylvania child abuse history clearances required every five years. But that raises another critical question. How did a woman with a previously indicated finding of child abuse continue to clear those checks? Our hearts go out to Malaysia Alford and her family, friends and classmates. And certainly we're going to do everything we can to support that school community and that family. And while we don't comment on personnel or... Police matters, any questions certainly should be referred to the Philadelphia Police Department. Of course, there are still many questions in this case. We have been seeking answers over the last few days with Philadelphia's Department of Human Services about their oversight on this case. We're still waiting for answers. In the meantime, Williams remains behind bars without bail, charged with murder and other offenses. Sheba. All right. Thank you for uncovering all of that today, Chris. The investigation continues, of course. Thank you, Chris.