Malayshia Alford: Mayor orders foster care review, city council pushes for social worker body cams

Tonight we are learning about a new action that city council plans to take to prevent another foster child from being abused or even murdered. This comes nearly a week after 10-year-old Malaysia Alford was found dead in the trunk of a car. That plan revealed tonight at a packed quality of life meeting in West Philadelphia. Our Jennifer Lee reports. I am... Friends with the grandmother of Malaysia. Malaysia Alford lived in the 19th district where Philadelphia police held a community meeting a week after investigators discovered her body in the trunk of a car in South Jersey. Her foster mother, Caprice Williams, now accused of her murder. My question is for all the police and the leaders, how are you going to make a difference? So that there is not another Malaysia. Council member Curtis Jones represents this district and says he and his colleague plan on introducing a resolution before city council after Malaysia's death with plans to hold hearings on the Department of Human Services. He says not to point fingers of blame, but rather to find solutions. What we want is to work to fundraise to get the social workers to have cameras that are activated upon a visit. So that they can memorialize the conditions that the child lives in, what the child talks about in private, away from the foster parents. Community members brought their quality of life concerns to the meeting, ranging from loud music, abandoned cars, squatting, vacant properties, and mental health awareness after Sergeant Shane Sieber was killed in the line of duty exactly a month ago on North 52nd Street. Police identified the gunman as Eric Lewis, who now faces dozens of local and federal charges for homicide and attempted homicide. Commissioner Kevin Bethel Bethel says his department is still healing. The betterment of my children. I've been at it almost 40 years now. And so when I lose an officer, it's not when I came on 40 years ago, a colleague, it's one of my children. And so it's harder for me today. This is part of the healing process too. When I talk about it, the community was traumatized by all of it, by the death of my officer, the shooting of my officers. And, you know, a 10-year-old child losing her life. Malaysia's murder case leaving a devastating mark on the West Philadelphia community. Councilmember Jones says he wants more social workers with lesser caseloads as well. He says all of it will require additional funding. This is not the first time this happened, but what we wanted to do is the last time we let it go. Councilmember Jones says the resolution for social workers wearing body worn cameras will be introduced before council on Thursday, all in hopes of preventing another tragedy like Malaysia in the future. In West Philly, Jennifer Lee, Fox 29 News. Law enforcement sources have told Fox 29 a relative of Williams led them to where they found Malaysia's body last Wednesday night. And that same relative is the one seen on surveillance video on October 26th. Moving Malaysia's body from the home on North Simpson Street to West Philly. Today, R. Kelly Rule asked District Attorney Larry Krasner if that person could face charges. I cannot confirm or deny that the person depicted in the video is a relative. But what I can say is that we are very serious and intentional about exploring whether there are other people who have committed crimes. And that would include anyone who may have had direct involvement, but it would also include others who had a less direct involvement. According to the attorney representing Malaysia's estate, Williams, who is also a teacher with the school district of Philadelphia, was the subject of a DHS child abuse investigation involving a different child in her care and had her foster home closed in 2021. Sources tell Fox 29 police also launched an investigation, but it did not result in charges. 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. I 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 Sherelle 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. But 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.