Md. Lawmakers Seek Foster Care Reform After Toddler’s Death

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — The death last year of a Frederick toddler has inspired bills in the General Assembly aimed at preventing children in foster care from being returned to abusive biological parents.

Del. Kathy Afzali of Frederick County is holding a news conference Thursday in Annapolis about a bill she calls Anayah’s Law. It’s named for Anayah Williams, a 21-month-old girl who was allegedly beaten to death by her father, Frankie Williams, last March. He has pleaded not guilty.

Anayah had been returned to her parents several weeks earlier under a federal law that generally requires state social services agencies to try to reunite families.

Afzali’s bill would create more exceptions to that rule. It also would strike a standard that abuse must be chronic for the state to maintain custody

(Copyright 2015 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)