Bipartisan 'Kanaiyah's Law' to be heard in committee

Bill named after teen who died in state care to be discussed in Maryland Senate

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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A bill named after Kanaiyah Ward, a 16-year-old who died by suicide while in foster care and placed in a Baltimore City hotel, is set for a hearing in a Maryland Senate committee on Thursday. Ward's family will testify in support of the legislation, dubbed 'Kanaiyah's Law', which seeks to codify a policy change to stop placing children in unlicensed settings like hotels and establish an Office of the Child Welfare Ombudsman.

Why it matters

The tragic death of Kanaiyah Ward has sparked outrage and calls for reform of Maryland's foster care system, which failed to properly care for the vulnerable teen. This bipartisan bill aims to prevent similar failures and ensure better oversight and accountability to protect children in state care.

The details

According to the police report, a caregiver contracted by the state to supervise Ward went to wake her up around 5:45 a.m. on Sept. 22, 2025 to go to school. An autopsy later revealed Ward's death was a suicide caused by an overdose of Benadryl. An internal investigation found the contractor was assigned a 53-hour shift to supervise Ward, and cited three staff members for neglect, failure to provide proper supervision, and failure to secure medications in the hotel room.

  • Kanaiyah Ward, 16, died by suicide in September 2025 while in foster care and placed in a Baltimore City hotel.
  • The bill, dubbed 'Kanaiyah's Law', will be heard in the Maryland Senate committee on Thursday, February 26, 2026 at 1 p.m.

The players

Kanaiyah Ward

A 16-year-old girl who died by suicide while in foster care and placed in a Baltimore City hotel.

Del. Mike Griffith

A Republican representing Cecil and Harford Counties, who has been outspoken in support of foster care reforms and spent most of his teen years in the foster care system.

Maryland Department of Human Services

The state agency that cut ties with the contractor hired to supervise Kanaiyah Ward after her death.

Fenwick Behavioral Services

The contractor hired by the state to supervise Kanaiyah Ward, which was cited for neglect and failure to properly secure medications in the hotel room.

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What they’re saying

“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? 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.”

— Del. Mike Griffith (foxbaltimore.com)

“There is nothing we can do to fix what happened to Kanaiyah; there is nothing that can bring her back. 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.”

— Del. Mike Griffith (foxbaltimore.com)

What’s next

The bill, Kanaiyah's Law, will be heard on Thursday, February 26, 2026 at 1 p.m. in the Maryland Senate Judiciary Committee.

The takeaway

The tragic death of Kanaiyah Ward has sparked bipartisan efforts to reform Maryland's foster care system and ensure better oversight and accountability to protect vulnerable children in state care. This legislation aims to codify policy changes and establish an ombudsman to prevent similar failures in the future.