As Twitchy reported at the end of April, an attorney for the family of Ma’Khia Bryant held a press conference and called for not only a Justice Department investigation into her shooting death but also a federal investigation of Ohio’s foster care system, beginning in Franklin County.
If there was any question that the foster care system is in the crosshairs, CNN has reported that Bryant’s biological mother, her attorney, and “experts” (always one professor) say that the foster care system is failing black children, and Bryant is just another example.
Ma'Khia Bryant's biological mother, the family's attorney and child welfare experts say they believe the foster care system failed Ma'Khia https://t.co/X6DXIRc9BM
— CNN (@CNN) May 9, 2021
Nicquel Terry Ellis reports for CNN:
While there are still a lot of unanswered questions surrounding the April 20 incident and the investigation is ongoing, one thing is clear: 16-year-old Ma’Khia died while under the care of a system that was created to provide safe, temporary homes for children whose biological parents are unable to raise them.
And Ma’Khia’s biological mother, the family’s attorney and child welfare experts say they believe the foster care system failed Ma’Khia.
…
Franklin County Children Services had initially placed Ma’Khia and her three siblings with their paternal grandmother Jeanene Hammonds for about 16 months after the children made allegations of ongoing physical abuse from their mother Bryant, according to records obtained by The Columbus Dispatch.
Bryant said she denies those allegations of abuse.
The Columbus Dispatch reported that Franklin County Children Services had developed a plan, which included mental health counseling, to reunite the children with Bryant. Bryant, however, did not comply with the plan, the newspaper reported.
Bryant disputed this, telling CNN that she had done the required counseling and therapy and made oral and written motions to the court to get her kids back.
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Cheryl Grills, a professor of psychology at Loyola Marymount University, said abuse in the foster care system is particularly hurting black children, “who are overrepresented in foster care and already face implicit bias and police brutality because of the color of their skin.”
Stop blaming other people and take responsibility for your inability to care for the children you created.
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) May 10, 2021
Interesting. Children are put in foster care due to abuse or neglect from their parents. It is supposed to be temporary, until the parent completes their case plan. She was removed due to unsafe conditions, so now they want to blame the foster care system??
— TeresaG (@TeresaGunz) May 9, 2021
The mother failed her. Period.
— SeldenGADawgs (@SeldenGADawgs) May 10, 2021
I’m thinking the biological mother may have been the weakest link in this tragic story.
— ABlueDot 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🌊🌊 (@nmlynneheart) May 9, 2021
Her biological mother & father most likely failed her otherwise she wouldn’t need to be in foster care.
— Nasty Woman (@Kim94276283) May 9, 2021
Where was Dad?
— Me (@Keefer1958) May 10, 2021
I'd also like to know where her father was.
— Wight Gemz (@Heather53814707) May 10, 2021
I am no expert in this subject, but it seems to me there are other factors that might contribute as well. We hear so much of these children growing up without fathers.
— me-neanderthal (@pfmusa1) May 9, 2021
I want to know about the child who was saved.
— Jan Serkey (@JanSerkey) May 9, 2021
The one everyone has completely forgotten about?
In a world where people took responsibility for their actions, one might say that her biological mother failed her. Agree?
— P90Ed (@P90EdBBcoach) May 10, 2021
Agree! I didn’t see any mention of the father. She and 3 siblings removed because mother was abusive. Also removed from paternal grandmother and separated from each other because grandma wouldn’t provide counseling.
— Jill Walden🇺🇸🐕🐱🏖 (@JillWalden71) May 10, 2021
The biggest failure was the biological mother….after that, every failure is moot.
— greg seffernick (@glsd11) May 10, 2021
Always the system. No room for personal responsibility.
— RickyPalmeRo876 (@Ricardo31175004) May 9, 2021
Her biological mother failed her. Let’s start there. If we don’t, we’re destined to have millions more children in foster care. Moms, rise up. Be present. Be selfless.
— It’s Ma’am, PhDelightful (@ItsGoneAwry) May 9, 2021
When will people learn to take responsibilities of their own failures?
— Noma 🌸 (@patrioticnomes) May 9, 2021
The biological mother and the biological father failed their child
— R.L Page (Notable Exception) (@rlpage_insp) May 9, 2021
The hoops that people will jump through to avoid personal accountability is really staggering
— Derek (@D_Trip86) May 10, 2021
You can blame everything under the sun, but when it's all said and done she made the final choice to use a knife as a weapon.
— Richard Allemon (@RAllemon) May 9, 2021
So close @cnn to figuring out who actually failed her…. keep digging!
— Deerslayer (@BowDeerslayer) May 10, 2021
Related:
Attorney for Ma’Khia Bryant’s family calls for federal investigation into Ohio’s foster care system https://t.co/tPMXyNRGHl
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) April 30, 2021
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