Carl’s Reviews > Wards of the State: The Long Shadow of American Foster Care > Status Update
Carl
is 40% done
Rowe, Seattle writer, uses stories of individual wards of the state to examine the failings of the system. Marianne, murderer at 16, sentenced to 20 years in prison at 19. Abused by father; mother drug addict and neglectful; adopted and then unadopted; kills and robs 21 year-old. She says he raped her, but what rape exactly means to her is not clear.
— Oct 11, 2025 10:31AM
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Carl
is 42% done
Early foster history . . . eastern street kids packed off to the West to new homes. Children? Unpaid workers? Not clear. Orphan trains . . . get off in a town, have people look them over and select . . . not selected, then off to the next town.
17 year-old orphan train kid murders two in Wyoming. Not exactly cold, more casual about it all. National trial sensation.
Hung . . . at 17.
— Oct 11, 2025 10:36AM
17 year-old orphan train kid murders two in Wyoming. Not exactly cold, more casual about it all. National trial sensation.
Hung . . . at 17.
Carl
is 41% done
Similar tale of young man, killer, sentenced to life in prison for murder of fellow worker when he was 19. Killed in U-district as she tries to get him to sign up to be an Amway salesperson. To him, she's just a fool. In prison, he sees pattern of arrested, incarcerated foster kids. Investigates, forms groups, writes government leaders, does more to bring this relationship of crime/foster homes to the forefront.
— Oct 11, 2025 10:33AM
