COLUMBUS, Ohio — Martonio Wilder’s heartbroken family members are questioning if Franklin County Children Services did enough to protect the little boy.
“Children Services failed that baby, they failed that baby,” said Rachelle Knight, the great aunt of Martonio.
FCCS said they worked with LaShanda Wilder and her family in May 2022.
“LaShanda literally gave her kids away at one time. Like dropped them off, gave them up. Her mom and her sister went and got the kids out of Children Services,” said Siea Glover, Martonio's cousin.
Glover said LaShanda did not have official custody of Martonio for four years. Then, she regained custody.
“For us, it looked like she was doing better. She came back, she got her own house,” said Glover.
Knight said a case worker visited LaShanda’s home the week Martonio died, and Martonio was not there.
“I blame the case worker too because how are you going to come to the house and she got two other kids but Martonio is missing. LaShanda said, 'Oh, he’s at daycare.' She said OK. My first thought is what is the name of the daycare,” said Knight.
FCCS spokesperson Scott Varner wouldn’t confirm the last time a caseworker checked in on Martonio.
10TV asked him if they visited the home the week that Martonio died.
“Again, the state privacy laws on child welfare are so restrictive on information that we can't share case specifics,” said Varner.
The family also claims Children Services was aware that Martonio had been abused and malnourished.
“Why didn’t you remove the baby? It was only Martonio. The other kids were OK. But all of the cases were against Martonio for abuse, malnutrition,” said Knight.
Again, Varner said he couldn’t comment because of state privacy laws.
But he did share information about past reports about Martonio Wilder.
Family services said the first contact with Martonio and his mother happened in May 2016. The agency got a report that he tested positive for drugs at birth, which they found was true. Children Services didn’t have contact with Martonio again until June 2022.
That’s when they got a report of physical abuse. The investigation ended in what the agency called an alternative response resolution. Varner said that happens when a threat to a child’s safety or neglect can be resolved without significant intrusion by FCCS.
Children Services sustained another investigation involving Martonio in February 2024, this time finding educational neglect.
Knight said she wants LaShanda and Johnna to be held responsible for Martonio’s death. But, she believes other agencies should also be responsible.
“I blame the court system and everybody else that kept giving them back. Y’all had a track record,” said Knight. “Your job is to make sure she did that, comply with that. But, if she didn’t then y’all should have removed them babies from that home.”
Varner said that he could not get into specifics of Martonio’s case, so 10TV asked him broader questions about protocols for removing children from homes.
He said Children Services cannot remove a child from a home, saying that it is up to law enforcement and courts.