ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Following the death of a teenager in Department of Human Services custody, Delegate Mike Griffith announced he is crafting legislation to address the dangers in Maryland's foster care system.
Kaniyah Ward, 16, died of an apparent drug overdose in a Baltimore hotel room on September 22 while in DHS custody, according to Delegate Griffith. Her death came just one week after a state audit raised serious concerns about DHS policies and their ability to keep children safe.
The audit found DHS lacked "comprehensive procedures" to ensure people with criminal backgrounds didn't have access to children in the state's care. As of August, seven registered sex offenders were living at the same addresses as approved guardianship homes housing 10 children.
The audit also found 280 foster care children placed in hotels under unlicensed supervision at significantly higher costs.
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In response, Del. Griffith is crafting the Never Again Act of 2026 - Kanaiyah’s Law. It will prohibit placing foster children in hotels for more than a week without review and authorization from the Secretary of the Department of Human Services.
It will require training, licensing, and criminal background checks for one-on-one providers. It will also grant DHS the authority to conduct ongoing monitoring, including background checks of adults residing with children placed in guardianship homes.
This issue is personal for Del. Griffith, who was in Maryland's foster care system from age 12 until he aged out at 18.
“Too often, foster children are treated like second-class citizens, as if they don’t matter. Where is the outrage in the community or in the Administration?" he said in a statement.
"If I had left my child alone in a hotel room and they died of an overdose, I would be arrested. If Kanaiyah had died in police custody, there would be protests and press conferences. She deserves more from a state that completely failed her.”
DHS is investigating the circumstances surrounding Kanaiyah's death and released a statement last month.
"The Maryland Department of Human Services joins the community in grieving this heartbreaking tragedy," said DHS spokesperson Lilly Price.
"The well-being of Maryland’s children is our top priority, and we will not rest until every child in our state is safe, thriving in a permanent home, and surrounded by loving family."
“There is nothing we can do to fix what happened to Kanaiyah; there is nothing that can bring her back,” said Delegate Griffith.
“But her tragic passing can be a call to action to improve the conditions of vulnerable foster children across our state. Maryland’s foster care system can never again be allowed to fail a child the way it failed Kanaiyah.”
