Across much of the country, child welfare agencies have used foster children’s Social Security benefits to reimburse government expenses, leaving many youth to age out with nothing. Federal pressure is rising to end the practice. The unanswered question is whether restitution will follow.

The arrest of Dr. Stephen Leedy on child exploitation charges and the resignation of his wife, Lynda Leedy, from Florida’s Juvenile Welfare Board expose a chilling contradiction. Families are scrutinized and penalized for poverty while those in power are shielded by silence. This case lays bare the hypocrisy of child welfare institutions and their systemic failure to protect children.