Maryland Admits Nearly 1,000 Foster Children Missing Since 2020 — Most Are Teenage Girls
In a letter released on October 22, 2025, Maryland’s Department of Human Services (DHS) confirmed what advocates had long suspected but could never prove: 990 children in state foster care have been reported missing between January 1, 2020, and August 17, 2025. The data, disclosed through an MPIA request filed by survivor-advocates Jennifer Guskin and Bailey Templeton, offers the first detailed look at how many children disappear while under Maryland’s supervision—and how quietly the system has been redefining what “missing” means. “Let that sink in—nearly 1,000 children under state supervision have gone missing in just five years,” Guskin said. “Most are teenage girls, and even toddlers are being labeled as… Read More »Maryland Admits Nearly 1,000 Foster Children Missing Since 2020 — Most Are Teenage Girls