Zariah Dodd was murdered shortly after leaving a group home. How many kids are missing from DCS custody?

Slain teen left group home; her death highlights missing DCS kids

After Zariah Dodd, 16, walked away from a group home a month ago, her body was found. She was one of dozens of children who have run away from a group home, according to the Arizona Department of Child Safety. FOX 10's Justin Lum has this story.

PHOENIX - Sixteen-year-old Zariah Dodd walked out of a group home one month ago. Loved ones say she had been through about 20 different homes, moving to the last one back in April due to her pregnancy. According to the Arizona Department of Child Safety, there are dozens of children like Dodd, who have run away from a group home.

"It's another story that could have been prevented. Group home negligence here in Arizona is a crisis," said Olivia Lemorrocco, a spokesperson for Phillips Law Group.

The firm is not associated with Dodd’s case, but represents many families who believe their loved ones have been neglected in group homes across Arizona.

Zariah Finley Dodd

The backstory:

The 16-year-old was reported as a runaway by Sunshine Residential in Surprise just after midnight on July 5, about four hours after leaving the group home.

"Our stance here is we investigate everything that we can. What has this group home done to prevent something like this from happening? Did they follow all the policies to make sure safety procedures were being followed?" Lemorrocco said.

Dodd, who was 22 weeks pregnant, was found shot in the head at Marivue Park in Phoenix on the morning of July 5. 36-year-old Jurrell Davis, the father of Dodd’s unborn child, and 18-year-old Jechri James-Gillett each face two counts of premeditated first-degree murder. Davis is also accused of sexual misconduct with a minor.

Jurrell Davis, the father of Dodd’s unborn child, and Jechri James-Gillett

More on the Zariah Dodd case:

What they're saying:

Lemorrocco says underage girls living in group homes are vulnerable targets.

When asked about solutions, Lemorrocco said, "The solution is simple. We need better oversight. We need better rules. We need stricter boundaries for people who own and operate group homes."

As of July 29, 115 children in DCS custody are listed as missing, abducted or runaways. 66 of those children specifically ran away from a group home placement.

Rhonda Dequier, founder of Missing in America Network, says that kids in these situations are simply harder to find.

"Once those teens, once those youth, even if they choose to walk away from their homes, even if they're in a great home, and they choose to walk away, they're no longer safe. Once they step out the door," Dequier said.

DCS policy requires group homes to immediately notify the agency when a child runs away, but a specific timeframe to report is not disclosed. A spokesperson says congregate contracts have clearer language defining when a child is considered a runaway or missing, as well as expected reporting practices.

Once a child is reported missing to DCS using a hotline, the Missing, Abducted and Runaway Children unit, known as "MARC," assists law enforcement in gathering information and providing contacts to try to locate them.

Within 24 hours of receiving information that a child has run away, DCS must make sure that the child’s parents, attorney, guardian, caregiver, and court-appointed special advocate or tribe must be notified of the disappearance. That information also goes into the National Crime Information Center and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children no later than 24 hours after the child is reported missing.

In the case of Zariah Dodd, her caregiver was emailed on the morning of July 5, within that timeframe. But by that time, she was already dead.

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