PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia City Council members plan to call for a hearing this week into the death of 10-year-old Malayshia Alford while in the city’s care.
Alford’s foster mother, Carprice Williams, has been charged with murder and other crimes for allegedly abusing the little girl, then covering up her death by reporting her missing and taking her body to New Jersey.
But councilmember Curtis Jones believes Alford’s death raises larger systemic issues.
“Malayshia represents a whole group of at-risk young people,” he said Monday. “When a young person prematurely meets their death in the care of a foster parent, it’s on us.”
Jones is one of the sponsors of a resolution to hold hearings on Alford’s death in the face of troubling questions and a lack of answers from the city and state officials responsible for her.
“Heads need to roll,” said councilmember Cindy Bass, another resolution sponsor. “We need to get answers for this family, and on behalf of this young lady, we need to get justice.”
Among the unanswered questions is why Alford was placed with Williams, after Williams was accused of abusing a child in her care in 2021. That case was deemed a “near fatality” and abuse was “indicated” — terms the state uses when there is substantial evidence that a child was severely abused. No charges were filed, and the finding against Williams was expunged on appeal for reasons state and city officials would not discuss.
A Pennsylvania Department of Human Services official said state law prohibits officials from sharing Bureau of Hearings and Appeals information. Philadelphia DHS Commissioner Kim Ali cited the same law in declining to answer questions about Alford’s case.
Ali did, however, provide an email statement acknowledging that Alford was in DHS custody and was receiving foster care services through Pennsylvania Mentor and case management through Catholic Community Services (CCS).
Archdiocese spokesman Ken Gavin, speaking for CCS, emailed a statement of solidarity with those grieving for Alford but said, “We would not comment on specifics of case management for any individual.”
A spokesperson for Pennsylvania Mentor also declined an interview request, saying they can’t comment on an ongoing investigation but that “we continue to fully cooperate with law enforcement on the matter.”
Bass said the agencies responsible for Alford failed her, and she would call them to testify.
“They better figure out some answers,” Bass said. “They owe us answers. They owe all of us answers.”
State Sen. Tim Kearny also blamed systemic failure for Alford’s death. He issued a statement, calling for the creation of an Office of Child Advocate.
“Today, we are mourning another child's life lost after the systems responsible for protecting vulnerable children failed to do so,” he said. “Cases like this reinforce why Pennsylvania needs stronger independent oversight of child-serving agencies.”
