ROCKVILLE, Md. — A new federal lawsuit filed by the family of Kaniyah Ward claims multiple parties were responsible for the 16-year-old's death while under the state's care.
On September 22, 2025, Ward's one-on-one caregiver discovered her unresponsive inside the Residence Inn by Marriott on North Wolfe Street in Baltimore City.
The at-risk teen had been placed in foster care, her family says, due to her ongoing mental health struggles.
Watch: More answers in foster teen's death
"Kaniyah was my only child and I couldn't take care of her as a parent being in her condition. So, I gave her to the state and they killed her," mother Brooke Ward said.
"That was our only goal, was to get her help," Michael Ward, her grandfather, said.
Brooke Ward shared her heartbreak over the loss of her daughter on Wednesday."KK" was her nickname.
She now has multiple tattoos on her arms as a reminder of the young girl who loved to create and draw.
Ward was placed at the hotel, against her mother's wishes, to be hospitalized.
According to the suit, this violated a 1988 consent decree banning the practice.
Her caregiver under Fenwick Behavioral Services was working a 53-hour-long shift after relief had called out and the business failed to alert Prince George's County Social Services. On a recorded 911 call she tells the dispatcher she doesn't know CPR.
"The 911 call is one of the most chilling things I have heard," DeMaurice Smith, attorney and relative of the family, said. "And I was a homicide prosecutor for 10 years.”
The Department of Human Services later canceled their contract.
READ MORE: Negligence cited as factor leading to foster teen's death in Baltimore hotel
The medical examiner ruled the teen's death a suicide, by overdose of about 300 Benadryl pills. But attorneys argue the hotel turned a blind eye to the "illegal" practice of placing vulnerable children in their rooms, and claim Fenwick's employees tasked with keeping a round-the-clock watch neglected her.
"Everyone here had a duty to protect this young girl. She should not have died at the age of 16," Smith said.
The suit names 14 defendants, including both Gov. Moore and former Department of Human Services Secretary Rafael López in their individual capacities.
Despite each leader noting the ongoing issue just days before Ward's death, they did not act until afterwards, lawyers point out. It took just one decree from the governor's office to clear out hotels of any foster children in just weeks.
"Secretary López was aware of the risk. And did nothing about it," attorney Scott Lerner said.
López stepped down in February 2026.
Marriott International, Inc., Prince George's County, Fenwick Behavioral Health Services, LLC and its founder, Eric Fenwick as well as individual staff members who played a role in Ward's case have also been named as defendants. DHS is not on the list, but Lerner notes it remains a possibility they can amend to add more.
We cannot comment on the specifics of this ongoing litigation due to important privacy protections. In December 2025, the Department released all records that could be legally disclosed, including a finding of child neglect for employees of a one-on-one service provider tasked with caring for Kanaiyah.
After dramatically reducing the number of children in hotels over the past three years, DHS ceased the practice entirely in November 2025. We also worked closely with the General Assembly to pass Kanaiyah’s Law [mgaleg.maryland.gov], which will further strengthen the state’s child welfare system.
We remain committed to strengthening and reforming child welfare in Maryland and will not rest until every child in our state is safe, thriving in a permanent home, and surrounded by a loving family.
In 2026, legislators passed "Kaniyah's Law," which would in part prohibit placing foster children in unlicensed facilities, like hotels.
No criminal charges were ever filed, with the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office declining to, citing insufficient evidence "to show the necessary intent to prove criminal neglect beyond a reasonable doubt."
But attorneys feel investigators didn't fully do their job, noting that the case was closed the same day as the internal investigation was made public.
They believe there is more to be uncovered.
"Perhaps the governor at this point will make a decision that he needs to appoint someone else to do this investigation," Smith said.
Smith and the team of lawyers from Dechert LLP and Doyle & Associates have launched their own independent investigation with a retired detective from the Metropolitan Police Department and plan to make the results public in about four to six weeks.
Attorney Ivan Bates did not address attorneys' claims of possible conflicts of interest over campaign donations in response to WMAR-2 News' inquiry, but did share the following statement reaffirming their decision to not press charges:
“First and foremost, our condolences and prayers continue to be with the family of Kanaiyah Ward. However, we stand behind the review conducted by our Special Victims Unit and have full confidence in their assessment of the case.
Notably, the burden of proof differs between civil and criminal cases. In civil lawsuits, the burden of proof is a preponderance of the evidence, a much lower bar than the burden in criminal cases, which is beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case presented numerous evidentiary challenges, and our office concluded that the conduct did not rise to the level of criminal behavior and that none of the individuals involved intended to deny the victim necessary aid or resources.”
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or visit 988lifeline.org.
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XThis story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.