Three-year-old Hope Jones was placed in the kinship foster care of Kiana Casey, the first cousin of Hope's father, in November 2020 by Philadelphia DHS, with oversight from a CUA case manager. On July 12, 2022, emergency responders were called to the Southwest Philadelphia home and Hope was taken to Children's Hospital with fatal injuries. A postmortem examination found numerous contusions and hemorrhages, healing rib fractures, and deep hemorrhages across her limbs, indicating significant physical abuse on repeated occasions; she died of blunt force trauma and showed signs of starvation. Her foster guardian Kiana Casey was charged with Third Degree Murder and other crimes, and case manager Jendayi Mawusi was charged for allegedly failing to report abuse and obtain medical care (she was later acquitted). A $6.5 million civil settlement was reached with Northeast Treatment Centers.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
The DA statement reports the child sustained "numerous contusions and hemorrhages," "several fractures to the rib," and "deep hemorrhages" on her arms and legs, and the Legal Intelligencer article states she died of "blunt force trauma injuries" and was "brutally beaten."
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
The Legal Intelligencer article states Jones was "deprived of food, causing her weight to drop drastically" and that "the signs of starvation and abuse went unnoticed."
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
The DA statement alleges Mawusi "failed on multiple occasions to follow up on instructions given to Casey to seek medical care for Jones," indicating medical neglect of the child.
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
The Legal Intelligencer article describes that the child "was brutally beaten and deprived of food, causing her weight to drop drastically," and the DA statement notes injuries "at various stages of healing" indicating "significant physical abuse on repeated occasions." The deliberate deprivation of food combined with repeated abuse over an extended period suggests sustained intentional cruelty beyond ordinary neglect.
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
The DA statement repeatedly identifies Kiana Casey as the child's "foster guardian" who was charged with Third Degree Murder for her role in the death.
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
The KYW article states the child "was placed in Casey's care because she is a relative — the first cousin of the girl's father," and the DA statement notes Casey was charged with murder, making an adult relative involved in the death.
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
The DA statement describes Jones being "placed in Casey's care" with NETs/DHS monitoring her "placement" and "kinship care" from November 2020 until her death; the KYW article confirms she was "placed in her care by the Department of Human Services."
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
The KYW article states the child "was placed in Casey's care because she is a relative — the first cousin of the girl's father," indicating the child was living with a relative (kinship care) rather than her parents.
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
The child had been placed in DHS foster/kinship care and monitored by a CUA case manager since November 2020, implying prior child-protection involvement. The DA statement also alleges the caseworker "failed to file incident reports after observing injuries," indicating reportable concerns existed during oversight.
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
The DA statement reports Casey was "arrested" and charged with Third Degree Murder and Mawusi was "arrested by Philadelphia Police" and charged with Third Degree Murder, Involuntary Manslaughter, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
The Legal Intelligencer article states the home should never have been approved "due to a household member's extensive criminal record" and that "a member of the household had a history of aggravated assault," criminal history predating and separate from this fatal incident.
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
This case involves notable systemic and legal dimensions: a DHS-subcontracted CUA case manager (Mawusi) was criminally charged with murder for failing to act, but the Legal Intelligencer reports "the caseworker was ultimately acquitted of third-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter charges." The agency Northeast Treatment Centers paid a "$6.5 million" civil settlement (Behrens v. Northeast Treatment Centers). The placement itself was alleged improper because "a household member's extensive criminal record" of aggravated assault, and Councilmember Bass called for reform of the "taxpayer-funded" CUA system that she blamed for "failing children."
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