They took my child. And for a while, it felt like they took everything. My breath. My balance. My name. The way people looked at me. The way I looked at myself. I remember sitting in...

They say the walls are too old. The layout too outdated. Two stories no longer work. So now Houston County DHR wants a new building, a bigger, shinier one story fortress to house their...

Ketorrious “KJ” Starks Jr. was just three years old. He died alone in the back seat of a hot car in July 2025. That car belonged to Kela Stanford, a transport worker contracted through...

The Alabama Department of Human Resources defines its mission in reassuring terms: “To provide for the protection, well-being and self-sufficiency of children and adults.” Yet across the state, stories continue to surface that show an agency...

Families vs. DHR documents real families, real cases, and real accountability. Our work spans investigations, survivor testimony, policy analysis, and public records. This page serves as a central place to follow our reporting and...