Runaway Teens: Missing in the System | FOX 10 Investigates Special Report
Phoenix-area teenagers in the custody of the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) have been victims of sex trafficking, murder, and sexual assault, according to police and family members.
Following the deaths of Anaiah Walker, Emily Pike, and Zariah Dodd, state leaders say changes are coming to the agency.
Zariah Dodd
Zariah Dodd: Records show her fear of baby?s dad
By the end of July 2025, 115 kids in the custody of the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) were considered missing, abducted or runaways. 66 of those kids ran away from group homes, and Zariah Dodd was in that category. Dodd was murdered after she ran away from her group home, and her family alleges the system failed her. FOX 10 Investigator Justin Lum has more.
Zariah Dodd, a pregnant 16-year-old in the care of the Department of Child Safety, was murdered after running away from her group home.
Her family claims the system failed to protect her.
Two men, including Jurrell Davis, the father of her unborn child, have been charged with her murder. Davis, who was prohibited from owning firearms, had a history of crimes involving minors and a history of possessing guns.
Click here to read/watch her story.
Emily Pike
Emily Pike: Family reflects on her unsolved murder
14-year-old Emily Pike was brutally murdered earlier in 2025, but long before that, Emily was allegedly sexually assaulted. The Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted an investigation but closed her case due to "insufficient evidence." Family members believe she would still be alive if the case had been prosecuted. FOX 10 Investigator Justin Lum reports.
Emily Pike, a 14-year-old girl, was allegedly sexually assaulted and was found murdered after running away from her group home. Her remains were discovered dismembered, and her cause of death was determined to be "homicidal violence." No suspects have been identified in the case.
Click here to read/watch her story.
Anaiah Walker
Anaiah Walker was sex trafficked, lawsuit claims
16-year-old Anaiah Walker was known as a routine runaway, but police believe she was sex trafficked before being killed in a hit-and-run. The connection isn't uncommon. Experts have studied the link between missing Department of Child Safety kids and trafficking in Arizona. FOX 10 Investigator Justin Lum has more.
According to police, Anaiah Walker, a Phoenix teenager who was in the custody of the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS), was sex trafficked before her death in a hit-and-run.
Walker's family says the state failed to protect her. The trafficking of children in state care is not uncommon; a recent study found that more than 60% of child sex trafficking victims in Arizona between 2021 and 2023 were in DCS custody.
Click here to read/watch her story.
Looking into the Dept. of Child Safety
Fmr. DCS worker: AZ child welfare system is broken
Arizona state lawmakers say changes are coming after a string of child deaths. Focusing on recent cases with prior Department of Child Safety (DCS) contact and increasing scrutiny of the embattled agency, Arizona leaders believe these tragedies could have been prevented. FOX 10 Investigator Justin Lum reports.
Following a series of child deaths, including those of Rebekah Baptiste, Zariah Dodd, and Emily Pike, state leaders say changes are coming to the Arizona Department of Child Safety. According to a former caseworker, the system is broken.
Click here to read/watch more on this story.
On the Record: How these reports came about
What you can do:
Below are resources for those who are being trafficked or know someone who is being trafficked, are experiencing or witnessing child abuse, and those who are having or know someone having suicidal thoughts.
Arizona Anti-Trafficking Network
Arizona Dept. of Child Safety Resources
Child abuse hotline: 1-888-SOS-CHILD (1-888-767-2445)
Suicide hotline: Text or call 988