Your Turn: On the Death of Nixzmary Brown
Nixzmary Brown was buried today, in a Brooklyn cemetery. The case of the 7-year-old Bedford-Stuyvesant girl, who police say was tortured, sexually abused, and then killed by her stepfather, will burn in the minds of New Yorkers for years to come. At a news conference, Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes called the case one of the worst he has seen, describing it as "unimaginable."
For now, Nixzmary's stepfather and mother, also facing charges in the girl's death, are being held without bail. Nixzmary's siblings are in foster care. The Bloomberg administration is promising a full and aggressive inquiry into what went wrong at the Administration for Children's Services. Workers at the ACS knew about Nixzmary's situation, had considered taking action, had recommended taking action.
Yet still Nixzmary died.
They knew, and still she died. While the rest of the city was going about its business that January 11, Nixzmary Brown lay dying.
The Bloomberg administration says it will make serious changes in the city's approach to child abuse cases. We invite your comments here, both on how New York can better protect its kids and on the horrifying loss of a child it failed.
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