Murder Charge in Fla. Child Scandal

A woman who was supposed to be taking care of Rilya Wilson, a 4-year-old foster child, was charged Wednesday with murdering the girl, three years after her disappearance scandalized Florida’s child-protection agency.

The woman, Geralyn Graham, was also charged with kidnapping and aggravated child abuse.

No body has been found, prosecutors said.

“Our grand jury has heard the facts and determined that Rilya’s disappearance was the result of an act of violence and has indicted the child’s former caretaker,” State Atty. Katherine Fernandez Rundle said.

Graham allegedly confessed while jailed on unrelated fraud charges, and investigators later found corroborating evidence, said Fernandez Rundle. She declined to give specifics.

“She basically broke down and told someone in the jail details about Rilya Wilson, including how she killed her,” Fernandez Rundle said.

Graham’s attorney, Brian L. Tannebaum, said: “That’s completely not true. That’s based on a jailhouse snitch.... They have no other evidence.”

Rilya’s story became known three years ago when it was discovered that she was not living at the home she shared with Graham and another woman, Pamela Graham, who was Rilya’s legal guardian.

The Grahams claimed a state social worker had taken the child in early 2001 for medical testing and never returned with the girl.

The girl’s disappearance had gone unnoticed by the Florida Department of Children & Families for months.

The scandal led to a major shake-up at the agency, as well as a search for the girl.

Prosecutors refused to give details on how they determined to charge Geralyn Graham, and the indictment did not mention any evidence.

The indictment did allege, however, that Rilya was either suffocated or beaten to death sometime in December 2000.