# Mother of foster teen who died in hotel sues Gov. Wes Moore, Marriott

> Kanaiyah Ward's mother files wrongful death lawsuit against Gov. Wes Moore and Marriott over her death in Baltimore hotel.
- Title: Mother of foster teen who died in hotel sues Gov. Wes Moore…
- Summary: Kanaiyah Ward's mother files wrongful death lawsuit against Gov. Wes Moore and Marriott over her death in Baltimore hotel. Kanaiyah Ward's mother sued Gov…
- Keywords: kanaiyah ward, gov wes moore, marriott, foster care, maryland, wrongful death lawsuit, residence inn, fenwick behavioral services, news, local, Mother, foster
- Source: The Banner — https://thebanner.com/politics-power/state-government/kanaiyah-ward-wrongful-death-lawsuit-DV253KN7NJFQFM4TLIDSESMKZ4
- Author: Jessica Calefati,Lee O. Sanderlin
- Published: 2026-10-21T18:47:58.633+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: kanaiyah ward, gov wes moore, marriott, foster care, maryland, wrongful death lawsuit, residence inn, fenwick behavioral services, news, local
## Kanaiyah Ward's death
16-year-old Kanaiyah Ward died alone in Baltimore hotel under one-on-one aide supervision in September 2025.

> Kanaiyah Ward died while under the supervision of a one-on-one aide at the Residence Inn Baltimore at the Johns Hopkins Medical Campus
## Mother files lawsuit
Brooke Ward's mother files federal civil rights and wrongful death lawsuit against Gov. Wes Moore, former Maryland Secretary of Human Services Rafael López, Marriott, and others.

> The mother of a foster teen who died alone last year in a Baltimore hotel has filed a federal civil rights and wrongful death lawsuit against Gov. Wes Moore, Marriott chain and others
## Lawsuit claims
Lawsuit states every institution with hand in Kanaiyah's care knew what she needed but failed her, from Governor's office to Marriott headquarters.

> Every institution with a hand in Kanaiyah’s care knew what she needed, and every one of them failed her
## State policy failure
Maryland allowed foster youth in hotels despite federal consent decree prohibiting unlicensed settings for foster youth.

> A federal consent decree has long prohibited Maryland from housing foster youth in unlicensed settings like offices and hotels
## Aide negligence
Fenwick Behavioral Services aide worked more than two days without relief, failing 24-hour supervision requirement.

> State investigators determined that Kanaiyah’s aide worked more than two days without relief, a failure that amounts to neglect
## State response
Maryland ordered relocation of all hotel-placed foster youth after Kanaiyah's death, despite prior reform efforts.

> Only after Kanaiyah’s death did the state order the relocation of every child living in a hotel
## Key takeaway

Kanaiyah Ward's mother sued Gov. Wes Moore, Marriott, and others for negligence after her foster daughter died alone in a Baltimore hotel in 2025.