Harrison County Board of Supervisors asks for State CPS audit
HARRISON COUNTY, Miss. (WXXV)-Harrison County leaders are calling for an immediate state investigation into child protection failures.
The board of supervisors unanimously passed a resolution Monday calling on the governor, attorney general, and Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services to investigate.
The resolution cites several cases and concerns, including the 2023 death of four-month-old Baby DJ and reports that a 14-year-old girl missing from CPS custody was kidnapped and trafficked here on the Coast.
Calling the situation an emergency, supervisors are urging state and local leaders to work together to strengthen protections for vulnerable children.
The full resolution is below:
Supervisor _______________ moved the adoption of the following Resolution:
RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF HARRISON COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND THE COMMISSIONER OF THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF CHILD PROTECTION SERVICES INCREASE EFFORTS TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN IN HARRISON COUNTY AND IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors of Harrison County, Mississippi increasingly receives inquiries from the public concerning issues regarding endangered children in its jurisdiction which has raised concerns with respect to their care and protection; and
WHEREAS, the Board learned, based upon news reports and members of the community who were concerned, that 4-month-old “Baby DJ” died in 2023 of blunt force trauma and asphyxiation after being released to his parents despite concerns for his safety when personnel at the local Hospital could not reach Child Protective Services. Subsequently, Child Protective Services was searching for the family when it was discovered that 4-month-old “Baby DJ” died of blunt force trauma and asphyxiation. Both of his parents were charged with his death; and
WHEREAS, his father and mother were both charged too late. The father was charged with capital murder in the death of “Baby DJ” and his mother was charged with felony child abuse and hindering prosecution; and
WHEREAS, the Board believes that “Baby DJ’s” death could have prevented if action had been taken while he was still at the hospital and not released to his parents; and
WHEREAS, “Baby DJ’s” death shocked many in our community and led to the creation of the Harrison County Blue Ribbon Committee on Child Protection to see what could be done to better protect our children; and
WHEREAS, the Harrison County Blue Ribbon Committee on Child Protection has been very active in trying to get legislation passed which is aimed at stopping tragedies such as this one called “Baby DJ’s Law”; and
WHEREAS, the Board has been surprised that there has been resistance to the Harrison County Blue Ribbon Committee on Child Protection’s efforts to protect our children; and
WHEREAS, news reports have recently revealed that a 14-year-old girl was reported missing from Child Protective Services (CPS) custody on September 29, 2025, near Highway 49 in Gulfport. She and her brother were reportedly being kept in a hotel room by a CPS caretaker/contractor when she disappeared. On January 22, 2026, a Gulfport Police officer found the child in a room at the Red Roof Inn. When interviewed by investigators, she said she had been kidnapped, raped and trafficked by a group of adults over a span of roughly four months. She had been missing from CPS custody for those four months. Seven (7) adults have now been arrested and charged with a variety of charges including human trafficking, kidnapping, extortion and forcible rape. According to news reports one of adults had paid $40 for the girl after she was dropped off on the side of 20th Street on January 6, 2026; and
WHEREAS, this tragedy brought to light that children are being kept in hotels for months at a time with children being removed from dangerous homes by Mississippi’s Child Protection Services only to end up in a rented hotel room being watched by a stranger who the State of Mississippi is paying by the hour; and
WHEREAS, the news media review of state spending records, contracts and a newly released federal court monitor’s report found the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services (MDCPS) has spent more than $34 million since 2022 on hotel rooms and the private companies hired to staff them — even as the agency’s own oversight of who is inside those rooms with the children has, in multiple documented cases, failed; and
WHEREAS, in media reports CPS characterized hotel stays as “emergency placements” used only when no licensed foster home, family placement or shelter bed is available, however some of these children were housed for months and in some instances spent more than a year living in a hotel; and
WHEREAS, according to reports the children cannot leave a room without supervision, cannot attend school in some cases, and hotel rooms have commonly been described as their prison; and
WHEREAS, Miss. Code Ann. §19-3-40 (1972), as amended, provides that the Board of Supervisors of any county shall have the power to adopt any orders, resolutions or ordinances with respect to county affairs, property and finances, for which no specific provision has been made by general law and which are not inconsistent with the Mississippi Constitution, the Mississippi Code of 1972, or any other statute or law of the State of Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, Miss. Code Ann. §43-15-7 (1972), as amended, authorizes a county to support protective services for children; and
WHEREAS, the Board created the Blue-Ribbon Committee on Child Protection to review, analyze and make recommendations regarding the implementation of a coordinated approach to intervention in reports involving alleged child sexual abuse, physical abuse, exploitation, and neglect to ensure that the children of Harrison County are protected; and
WHEREAS, while Harrison County’s efforts, through the Blue-Ribbon Committee on Child Protection, to address issues confronting endangered children in Harrison County are ongoing, the County is of the opinion that success would come more rapidly if supported by the Governor, the Attorney General and MDCPS and other elected state officials when addressing alleged child sexual abuse, physical abuse, exploitation, and neglect to ensure that the children of Harrison County and the State are protected; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors of Harrison County, Mississippi respectfully requests the Governor of the State of Mississippi, the Mississippi Attorney General and the Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services join the Board and the Blue-Ribbon Committee to address alleged child sexual abuse, physical abuse, exploitation, and neglect to ensure that the children of Harrison County are protected; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors of Harrison County, Mississippi respectfully requests the Governor of the State of Mississippi, the Mississippi Attorney General and the Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services to investigate the issue reference above and involve the local counties and municipalities in discussion to determine ways to better protect these most vulnerable children; and
WHEREAS, this is an EMERGENCY, children are dying and being sold into human trafficking and not being protected. The Board of Supervisors of Harrison County, Mississippi respectfully requests the Governor of the State of Mississippi, the Mississippi Attorney General and the Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services to act immediately.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF HARRISON COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI, that the Board respectfully requests the Governor of the State of Mississippi, the Mississippi Attorney General and the Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services join the Board and the Blue-Ribbon committee to commit to steadfastly work together to address alleged child sexual abuse, physical abuse, exploitation, and neglect within Harrison County in order to ensure that the children of Harrison County are protected, including but limited to the following:
- The Board of Supervisors of Harrison County, Mississippi respectfully requests the Governor of the State of Mississippi, the Mississippi Attorney General and the Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services to investigate the issue(s) referenced above and involve the local counties and municipalities in discussion to determine ways to better protect these most vulnerable children; and
- This is an EMERGENCY, children are dying and being sold into human trafficking and not being protected. The Board of Supervisors of Harrison County, Mississippi respectfully requests the Governor of the State of Mississippi, the Mississippi Attorney General and the Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services to act immediately.
Supervisor ________________ seconded the motion to adopt the above and foregoing Order, whereupon the question was put to a vote with the following results:
Supervisor DAN CUEVAS voted
Supervisor REBECCA POWERS voted
Supervisor MARLIN R. LADNER voted
Supervisor KENT JONES voted
Supervisor NATHAN BARRETT voted
The majority of the members present, having voted in the affirmative, the motion was declared carried, and the Order adopted on this the 5th day of October, 2026.
