Questions Raised After Child's Death

March 11, 2009

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Questions are being raised about the effectiveness of foster care screening after a 5-year-old boy's death was ruled a homicide.

5- year-old Kevin Michael King was found unresponsive in the family’s bathroom floor last Sunday.

BPD said his legal mother Gloria Grayson is responsible for the child's death.

BPD said Grayson also had three foster children living with her. They were placed in protective custody after her arrest.

Child Protective Services oversees the foster care program here in Kern County and Grayson would have to go through a screening process.

CPS was under scrutiny a few years ago with allegations of a poor performance towards the safety and proper placement of foster kids.

Those allegations stemmed from child cruelty and at least one death of a child caused by a foster parent. In recent years CPS officials have worked hard to improve the system.

CPS said this kind of case is something that they work very hard to keep from ever happening.

Several neighbors said that all the kids living at the house seemed happy and well taken care of.

Grayson will be in court on Thursday.