A 15-year-old foster child found dead in an empty lot is prompting a deep dive into his case, cops say.
Ace Scott had been in the Kansas foster care system since 2017. His body was found on April 15.
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But news of his death wasn’t released until The Kansas City Star inquired, and people are demanding answers.
The Department for Children and Families released limited information regarding Scott and his case and condition.
DCF Secretary Laura Howard told The Star: “My sincere condolences go out to all those who knew and loved Ace — family, friends, and all who had the chance to know and care about him. My hope is that memories of Ace provide comfort during this difficult time.
“Know too that DCF is taking all actions at our disposal to better understand the circumstances of this case and to identify the types of services or supports that might prevent a tragedy like this from happening in the future.”
Scott, a transgender male, had spent most of his last few weeks hospitalized for a “known medical condition,” according to DCF officials. He was admitted on March 26.
Prior to that hospitalization, Scott had been on the run.
The day he was released from the hospital, Scott ran away from a Cornerstones of Care office. He had been awaiting new placement that day, The Star reports.
Child welfare advocates now wonder if Scott received the care he needed while in the state system.
Lori Burns-Bucklew, a Kansas City attorney who specializes in child welfare law, wants to know why Scott ran as soon as he was released from the hospital.
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“How many times had he run? What was accounting for that?,” Burns-Bucklew told The Star.
“I don’t know what supports were offered to Ace, and I don’t know what kind of supports were offered to the people caring for him.”
Additional questions remain regarding why information pertaining to Scott’s death was not released by authorities.
Advocates believe that because Scott had a known medical condition, and because he had been in the hospital, authorities should have relied on the public more to help find the teen.
“He was a child who belonged to the state of Kansas and the state failed,” said child advocate and founder of FosterAdopt Connect, Lori Ross.
A cause of death has not yet been released and his death is still being investigated, per Kansas City Police.
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