Calls for DHS reform grow after murder of 10-year-old Malayshia Alford

Philadelphia Calls for DHS reform grow after murder of 10-year-old Malayshia Alford Advocates rallied in West Philadelphia demanding greater transparency and changes to the city's child welfare system following the girl's death. By Johnny Archer • Published November 9, 2026 • Updated on November 9, 2026 at 11:16 pm Advocates are calling for reforms to Philadelphia 's Department of Human Services following t he murder of 10-year-old Malayshia Alford , whose foster mother is accused of killing her. Community members gathered for a rally in West Philadelphia on Monday night, demanding greater transparency and changes to the city's child welfare system to prevent similar tragedies. Stream Philadelphia News for free, 24/7, wherever you are with NBC10. WATCH HERE Investigators say Alford was killed by her foster mother, Caprice Williams. NBC10 previously found that Williams had faced accusations of abusing other foster children. A memorial for Alford now stands outside the West Philadelphia home where she lived. Advocates say her death was preventable and hope it will become a turning point for the city's foster care system. "Malaysia is a blessing because Malaysia is going to be the catalyst for the transformation that going to happen right now," said Dr. Charlotte Brown of The Elite 30. Advocates at Monday's rally urged lawmakers to listen to their concerns and take action to improve protections for children in foster care. Several people who grew up in Philadelphia's foster care system also shared their experiences, describing allegations of abuse and neglect. "I was in the system. I was in multiple foster cares. I was beaten. I was starved. I was all the above," said Zakia Gilyard of West Philadelphia. Philadelphia Nov 6 Docs reveal history of abuse for foster mom charged in girl's death Philadelphia Nov 8 Community remembers Malayshia Alford as family demands accountability Another person who grew up in the foster care system described a lack of oversight while in kinship care. "I grew up in the system myself and a lot of things were happening to me during kinship where no one ever checked on me," the person said. A third person described feeling dismissed when reporting problems in the home. "they made it seem like we were crazy when I was younger. They put us in therapy and they were like you all are just crazy. We are not crazy. Things were happening to us in the home and you all keep closing the case," the person said. Community members gathered at a park in West Philadelphia to honor the life of 10-year-old Malayshia Alford after she was found dead inside the trunk of a car in New Jersey. NBC10's Johnny Archer reports. Governor calls for review of child welfare laws Philadelphia DHS officials said they cannot release information about Alford's case, citing the Child Protective Services Law. Meanwhile, Pa. Gov. Josh Shapiro has directed a review of existing laws to determine whether changes are needed. Shapiro's office told NBC10 that the governor directed DHS to convene with other government agencies, the General Assembly and advocates to examine current laws and identify potential reforms. Advocates hope those discussions will lead to new legislation requiring greater transparency from the agency. Brown said she intends to continue pushing for accountability and change. "I’m going to be the voice that we do not operate in fear. However, we do do it through love and a sound mind," Brown said. Organizers said they plan to hold another rally Wednesday, when they expect to announce their next steps in their effort to bring changes to DHS. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication. This article tagged under: Philadelphia