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Harrison County panel hears testimony that children in state custody were placed in hotel rooms; committee seeks code clarification
Summary
At a Harrison County Blue Ribbon Committee meeting, residents and committee members described cases of children in state custody left for weeks or months in hotel rooms with unvetted sitters, criticized repeated 90-day FIP extensions and urged clarification of Mississippi Code 43-21-301.
Harrison County’s Blue Ribbon Committee on Friday heard multiple accounts from residents and committee members alleging that children in state custody were sometimes placed in hotel rooms for extended periods with minimal supervision, and members said they will press for clarification of state law and additional oversight.
A video shown to the committee included testimony from an agency owner contracted by Child Protective Services (CPS) who said children were “left in these hotel rooms almost months on end” with little food, no regular schooling and only phone-based sitting. "Children receive nothing but fast food and microwave dishes," the presenter said, describing a pattern she called unsafe and costly; she estimated a private placement could cost about $225,000 per child over 12 months.
Committee members said the child featured in the video was in CPS custody when the incident occurred and…
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