Two-year-old girl dies in Sacramento foster care

Probe sought of dead girl's medical care
Enkoji, M. S. Sacramento Bee, April 11, 2007, pg. B2.

The family of a 2-year-old girl who died in March from an apparent illness while in foster care is calling for an investigation into her death.

The girl's parents, along with their attorney and the NAACP, had sought to have a surviving brother removed from the same home, and Sacramento County Child Protective Services said Tuesday that already has been done.

The 4-year-old brother was moved to another foster home after considering what would be best for the boy, said a spokeswoman for the agency.

"He's been seen by a doctor and he's healthy and well," said Laurie Slothower, the spokeswoman.

She emphasized that the change was not made because of any issues with the foster parents, who have a clean record with no complaints.

Jayla Thompson Fox died March 28 from what appear to be natural causes related to a lung infection, according to the Sacramento County Coroner's Office.

Her parents, Briayna Fox and Tyrone Thompson, are accusing Child Protective Services of failing to ensure that Jayla got proper medical care, according the Sacramento branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

The NAACP, the parents and their attorney are staging a news conference and prayer vigil today at 7 p.m. on the west steps of the state Capitol.

Slothower said that after a child dies, the agency always does an investigation, which includes review by medical experts from UC Davis Medical Center.