Maryland Lawmakers Propose 'Kanaiyah's Law' to Protect Foster Children

The bipartisan bill aims to strengthen safety standards and oversight for children in state care following a tragic suicide.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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A bipartisan bill called 'Kanaiyah's Law' has been introduced in the Maryland legislature to strengthen protections for children in the state's foster care system. The bill is named after 16-year-old Kanaiyah Ward, who died by suicide in 2025 while staying unsupervised in a hotel under state supervision. The legislation would prohibit the state from placing children in unlicensed settings like hotels, require background checks for adults in guardianship homes, and create an independent ombudsman to advocate for foster children.

Why it matters

Kanaiyah's tragic death highlighted systemic failures in Maryland's foster care system that put vulnerable children at risk. The proposed legislation aims to enact reforms to better safeguard the wellbeing of children in state care and prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.

The details

Kanaiyah's Law would mandate that the Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS) cannot place children in unlicensed settings like hotels, homeless shelters, or offices, and would only allow hospital placements under specific circumstances. The bill would also require background checks for all adults living in court-appointed guardianship homes, after an audit found some children were placed with sex offenders. Additionally, the legislation would create an independent ombudsman to advocate for foster children and a dedicated foster care advocate position in the state attorney general's office.

  • Kanaiyah Ward, a 16-year-old in state care, died by suicide in September 2025 while staying unsupervised in a hotel.
  • Kanaiyah's Law was introduced in the Maryland legislature in February 2026.

The players

Brook Ward

Kanaiyah Ward's mother, who testified in support of the bill.

Delegate Mike Griffith

The lead sponsor of Kanaiyah's Law, which represents portions of Cecil and Harford counties.

Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS)

The state agency that placed Kanaiyah Ward in the unsupervised hotel where she died, and which the proposed legislation aims to reform.

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What they’re saying

“No mother should have to bury her daughter”

— Brook Ward, Kanaiyah Ward's mother

“Sadly, DHS put Kanaiyah into a hotel room with limited to no supervision. Kanaiyah was allowed to be in this room with a bottle with over 350 doses of Benadryl. There were marks all over her body from repeated suicide attempts.”

— Delegate Mike Griffith, Lead sponsor of Kanaiyah's Law

What’s next

The Maryland legislature is expected to vote on Kanaiyah's Law in the coming weeks. If passed, the reforms would go into effect immediately to better protect children in the state's foster care system.

The takeaway

Kanaiyah's tragic death exposed serious flaws in Maryland's foster care system that failed to keep a vulnerable child safe. The proposed 'Kanaiyah's Law' aims to enact critical reforms, including prohibiting the placement of children in unlicensed settings and creating independent oversight, to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future and better safeguard the wellbeing of children in state care.