• Santa Clara County supervisors sharply criticized the Department of Family and Children’s Services following the murder of 2-year-old Jaxon.
• Ten county employees placed on administrative leave as every interaction in Jaxon’s foster care case undergoes review.
• Jaxon was placed in February with a foster family that included his 17-year-old biological cousin, who now faces murder and rape charges.
• Officials question the agency’s focus on family preservation over child safety after multiple child deaths in the system.
• Independent investigations underway by state and local authorities.
San Jose, Calif. — Emotions ran high in the Board of Supervisors chambers Thursday as Santa Clara County officials gathered for a meeting to talk about why children continue dying in foster care despite reforms and policy changes aimed at protecting vulnerable children.
Supervisors fired off scathing critiques of the county’s Department of Family and Children’s Services, the agency responsible for placing 2-year-old Jaxon in a foster home in San Jose where he was allegedly abused and murdered. Police officers found Jaxon unconscious in his crib on Easter Sunday. Prosecutors said the killer was a 17-year-old boy who was Jaxon’s foster brother and biological cousin.
County Executive James Williams announced that ten county employees have been placed on administrative leave while investigators work to find who within the child welfare system failed to protect Jaxon. DFCS policies and practices are also being heavily reviewed. Every interaction involving Jaxon during his time in foster care will be examined, with staff potentially facing disciplinary action up to and including termination.
The case has drawn intense scrutiny, coming after DFCS was placed under state oversight following the 2023 death of three-month-old Phoenix Castro. Supervisor Sylvia Arenas expressed deep frustration, asking child welfare officials, “How many children could die under your leadership and you still have a job?” She emphasized the need for accountability, stating the system has prioritized family preservation over child safety.
Jaxon’s mother died last summer. In February, DFCS placed him in a foster home on Otono Court with the teenager and the teen’s mother, who is a cousin of Jaxon’s father. The foster mother has a concerning criminal history and did not cooperate with police, according to authorities. Prosecutors said Jaxon suffered repeated sexual and physical assaults, and his body was covered in suspicious traumatic injuries when found.
District Attorney Jeff Rosen called Jaxon the third child in recent years murdered while under DFCS care, declaring, “Enough. Enough. Change needs to come.” Prosecutors have charged the foster brother with murder and rape. Now 18, he faces a decision this summer on whether he will be tried as an adult. His mother was arrested and released without charges.
Supervisor Arenas broke down in tears during the meeting, urging officials to consider their own young children and the joy they bring. “We all should be infuriated, angry, and upset that our system produced this result,” she said.
The tragic death of young Jaxon has intensified calls for systemic change in Santa Clara County’s child welfare system. With multiple investigations underway by the California Department of Social Services and the District Attorney’s office, county leaders are under pressure to deliver real reforms that place child safety first.