West Virginia’s child welfare system is spending millions to ship foster kids out of state while investigations fail at home, oversight breaks down, and children end up in crisis placements. This report lays out the documented pattern.

An 11-year-old boy with autism told adults he was in pain. Thompson’s RTC dragged him to a holiday movie anyway. He collapsed and died. This investigation shows how Texas child welfare, licensing, and contractors missed warning after warning until a child was gone.