TRUE CRIME A System's Betrayal: The Horrific Death of Laila Marie

Laila Marie Daniel was born on July 18th, 2013, in Georgia to parents Tessa Clendening and Anthony Daniel. At the time of our story, she had an older sister named Millie. Laila, with her curly hair, wide blue eyes, apple cheeks, and big smile, was affectionately known as "fat baby" by her grandmother, Gina Banks. As a toddler, Laila was a chubby, food-loving child who enjoyed strawberry oatmeal, hot dogs, powdered donuts, and chicken nuggets. She also delighted in making pretend food in her toy kitchen and adored the characters and songs on the TV program "Yo Gabba Gabba."

Laila didn't talk much as she was still learning and a bit behind other kids her age. Despite this, she was keen to remind everyone that she was a "big girl." Laila was a sweetheart, always laughing and loving everyone around her. She was cherished by her family, especially her mother, grandmother, and great-aunt Kim Smith.

Tessa's own childhood was marred by being taken away from her parents and placed into foster care, where she met Jennifer Hul, who would later become significant in their lives. Jennifer's family often lived in dire conditions, moving from the streets to tents and cars. At age nine, Jennifer was placed in foster care, where she and Tessa eventually lived in the same group home. Though they were not close friends, they knew each other.

Fast forward to October 2011, Tessa gave birth to her first daughter, Millie, with then-boyfriend Jacob Place. A year later, she was with Laila's father, Anthony, and Laila was born nine months later in 2013. The first year of Laila's life saw her and Millie living with Tessa, during which Georgia DFCS visited their home multiple times. After receiving reports of child abuse, Tessa moved to North Carolina, and the case was closed, though Tessa claimed she never avoided caseworkers.

By Laila's first birthday, Tessa was struggling with substance use. After a hospital visit post-Laila's birthday party, Millie went to live with Gina Banks, and Laila went to stay with family friend Cynthia Tate. Despite these challenges, Cynthia reported that Laila was healthy and happy in her care, visiting Tessa on Thanksgiving and other occasions.

In January 2015, Tessa was arrested on conspiracy to distribute crystal meth, spending three months in jail. Laila's father, Anthony, was also in jail, so Tessa arranged for her children to stay with various family friends. Upon her release, Tessa moved in with Cynthia but failed a drug test soon after, leading DFCS to place Millie and Laila in foster care with Lorita Brown, a seasoned foster parent.

Laila and Millie showed no signs of abuse when they first arrived at Lorita's home. They quickly adjusted, with Laila always clinging to Lorita and Millie playing happily with Lorita's daughter. During this period, Tessa was making progress, but by May, she and her mother Gina attended a hearing about the girls, where Jennifer Rosenbaum, now married, saw the girls and expressed interest in fostering them.

Jennifer, an impressive figure with a military and legal background, reached out to Tessa via social media, offering to care for the girls until Tessa could regain custody. Tessa, trusting Jennifer, agreed, leading to a series of supervised visits. However, injuries began appearing on Laila during visits with Jennifer, which Lorita reported to DFCS. Despite concerns, the girls were eventually placed with Jennifer and her husband Joseph.

Under Jennifer's care, Laila's health deteriorated. She was found with multiple injuries and signs of severe abuse. Tragically, on November 17, Jennifer called 911, claiming Laila was choking on a chicken nugget. First responders found Laila bruised and unresponsive, leading to her death from blunt force injuries. The Rosenbaums were arrested and charged, with Jennifer receiving a life sentence plus 40 years and Joseph 30 years.

Laila's story is a harrowing reminder of the failures in the child welfare system. Despite the horrific end, Laila's memory lives on through her family's efforts to seek justice and remember her bright, loving spirit.