Jamarr’s Promise is the shocking personal memoir of social worker Kristin
I. Morris’ fight to protect a nine-year-old child, Jamarr Cruz, that ended in
his tragic murder and New Jersey’s Division of Youth and Family Services
(DYFS)’s denial of its responsibility in the case.
As a caseworker for DYFS, Kristin helped many children and families; it
was her life’s passion. Nine-year-old Jamarr was living with his grandparents
after his mother’s boyfriend, Vincent Williams, beat him repeatedly. Jamarr
told Kristin it was not safe for him to return home. Kristin urgently tried
to keep Jamarr safe with his grandparents, but was told by superiors that
Latino children are kept in the home at all costs. This time, the cost was
Jamarr Cruz’s life. In 2009 after Jamaar’s return to Omayra Cruz and Vincent
Williams, Vincent beat Jamarr to death. Not only did Kristin’s superiors at
the DYFS block her efforts to help Jamarr, but when he was killed, they
blamed Kristin for his death.
Jamarr’s Promise is a call to end corrupt loyalties in New Jersey’s DYFS.
It is a call to protect children from Jamarr’s fate and promote child welfare.
It is a call for justice for Kristin Morris, who did the right thing and was
punished unjustly for it.
Chapter One Excerpt
Chapter 1
The suburban New Jersey town of Pennsauken changed a lot in
recent years and still in 2009, bordering as it does on the city
of Camden. I am a caseworker for the State’s Child Protec-
tive Services agency long known as the Division of Youth and Family
Services, or DYFS, now called the Department of Child Protection
and Permanency, or DCPP. I am driving to my last scheduled client
of the day, the Pena family. The Pena case is about to be closed based
on earlier visits by my colleague, Omar Mateo. His supervisor has
already completed the pink slip approving the closing, so this should
be just a matter of paperwork after this last Required Monthly Visit. I
might even get home on time tonight. Providing excellent services to
New Jersey’s troubled families is my pride and joy; that . . . and pride
and joy in my own family.
I turn into the driveway of a fairly well kept home, walk up to the
house, and ring the bell. It doesn’t work, so I knock. I hear a woman’s
voice muffled from behind the door.
“Coming.”
A late twenties Latino woman answers the door smoking a ciga-
rette. She looks gaunt and disheveled. I am taken aback more by her
appearance than by the fact that I expected the children’s stepfather
to answer the door.
www.wisdomhousebooks.com • 919-883-4669 • Clara@wisdomhousebooks.com
Wisdom House Books
“Are you the mom?” I ask.
“No. I’m the babysitter.”
I doubt it, but I flash my official State of New Jersey name badge.
“I’m Kristin Morris from the Division of Children Protection and
Permanency. I need to speak with the stepfather, Mr. Pena. Can I
come in?”
The woman hesitates, then acquiesces. “He’s not here now. Yeah,
come in.”
I enter the Pena house and observe three children staring silently
back at me. Bella is a crawling one-year-old, Tony is a four-year-old
sitting in a diaper, and Jimi is a seven-year-old bare chested in pajama
bottoms. All of the children appear Latino.
Since it is shortly after noon, I address Jimi. “Hi, Jimi, I’m Miss
Kristin. How come you aren’t in school today?”
Jimi shrugs his shoulders. I immediately notice a history of burn
injuries on his torso. I try to hide my grimace. “What time will their
stepfather be home?”
The woman is evasive. “Don’t know.”
I turn my attention to Tony and my eyes widen at a fresh burn scar
and a black eye. I get closer to look at Bella sitting on the floor and
spot a burn on her leg. Tears come to my eyes. I blink them away and
say to the toddler, “Hey, cutie.”
I look around and begin to survey the house. My jaw goes slack as
I see makeshift wiring and exposed light bulbs at every outlet. I walk
into the kitchen and see a hole in the floor that reveals the basement. I
kneel over it to look in and whip my head back. “You have a sewage
problem,” I say. I stand and leave the kitchen, crossing the hallway
and heading toward the bathroom.
It is filthy and there is no sink. An exposed bulb dangles to the floor.
I turn back into the hallway and see a closet door with a padlock. Inside
there is a Nintendo. I look to Tony who stares at me with fear in his
eyes. I suddenly realize what the closet is used for. I try to reassure him.
“It’s OK, Tony.” I am appalled, and I know I must call this in.
I approach the woman in the living room and say, “OK, I’ll have
to meet with the kids’ stepfather. I’ll have to make another visit.”
www.wisdomhousebooks.com • 919-883-4669 • Clara@wisdomhousebooks.com
Wisdom House Books
I exit the home and search my casebook schedule for any other
visits in the vicinity. I find one and make an uneventful visit, being
careful to document it.
Two hours later, I return unannounced to the Pena home. The
stepfather of two of the children, Rodolfo, is home and on the speaker
phone with his own father.
The older man refers to the four-year-old. “Just beat his ass.”
Rodolfo sees me and responds, “Oh, the DYFS worker’s here and
she can hear you. But she’s cool.” He hangs up.
I question Rodolfo about Tony’s black eye and get a confused
series of ludicrous explanations. “He bumped it on the door . . . he
bumped it in the pool while playing . . . he came home with it.”
I have heard and seen enough. I dial my supervisor Yolanda on
my cell. “Hey, Yolanda . . . Kristin. I’m at the Pena house and it’s a
disaster. I need to remove the kids.” I look at wide-eyed little Bella.
Yolanda replies, “Yeah, I understand. Mateo was going to close
the case. What the hell was he thinking?”
“I have no idea, but I can’t close it now.” I continue to look around.
The so-called baby-sitter won’t even look in my direction. It becomes
clear that the Pena children have been through this routine before.
They are no longer distressed, and even visibly excited.
“Yay, McDonalds, yay!” Tony calls out joyfully.
Yolanda continues, “I’m good with it. How long do you think
you’ll be?”
“Mommy, are you coming with us?” Tony asks.
I tell Yolanda to hold on and I ask Tony, “Who is this lady?”
“My mommy.”
“No, I’m not the mom, I’m the babysitter,” the woman protests.
I step outside for a moment of privacy and get back on the phone.
“Yolanda, yeah, the mother was here alone with the children, and
there’s a court order forbidding it. She’s to be supervised 24/7 due to
chronic heroin addiction. The stepfather has full custody.”
“OK, bring the kids in. Estimated time of arrival?”
“About an hour, after we stop at McDonalds.”
“I’ll set up the pediatric appointments. You’ll need the rest of the
day to process the paperwork. See you then.”
I walk back inside and speak to the entire family, “The children
are coming with me. Kids, get your clothes on. Where are Bella’s
clothes?”
The mother points to a basket overflowing with unfolded clothes.
The two older children quickly throw on their socks, clothes, and
shoes. The mother hands me a onesie. I clothe Bella and continue to
hold her. Rodolfo stands helplessly in the background.
Jimi and Tony bid farewell to their mother.
The mother’s cigarette hand trembles as she smokes with a vacant
look in her eyes. She appears emotionless and remains silent.
Jimi addresses me with enthusiasm, “If we’re getting McDonalds,
can I have a Happy Meal?”
“Yes, Jimi, you can.”
As I leave the house with the children, the stepfather mutters
curses. We all walk down the front steps to the driveway. The older
children smile while we hold hands walking to the car, and I carry
Bella. It takes a few moments to put the children in baby and child
seats in the state car marked, “For Government Purposes Only.” We
drive away.
This is exactly what I have come to expect as a case manager in a
child protective service agency. I see the worst of the worst and can
always be surprised in the saddest fashion. I can only do my job to the
best of my ability to meet the needs of these children.
Seeking Justice for Caseworker who warned
NJ DYFS before Tragic Death of 9-Year-Old Boy
Jamarr’s Promise is the shocking true story of Kristin I. Morris’ fight to protect a nine-
year-old child, Jamarr Cruz, that ended in his tragic death and New Jersey’s Division
of Youth and Family Services (DYFS)’s denial of its responsibility in the case.
As a caseworker for New Jersey’s Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS), Kristin
helped many children and families; it was her life’s passion. Nine-year-old Jamarr was
living with his grandparents after his mother’s boyfriend, Vincent Williams, beat him.
During the last required monthly visit before Jamarr was scheduled to return to his
mother and Vincent’s care, Jamarr told Kristin it was not safe for him to return home.
Kristin urgently tried to keep Jamarr safe with his grandparents, but was told by
superiors that Latino children are kept in the home at all costs. This time, the cost
was Jamarr Cruz’s life.
In 2009 after his return to Omayra Cruz and Vincent Williams, Vincent beat Jamarr to
death. Not only did Kristin’s superiors at the DYFS block her efforts to help Jamarr, but
when he was killed, they blamed Kristin for his death. Kristin was terminated at work
and sued by Jamarr’s mother Omayra Cruz—even after Omayra won a settlement for
$425,000 from the State of New Jersey. Kristin’s witnesses who provided proof of Kristin’s
innocence were pressured to alter their testimony by Kristin’s superiors. After Kristin
won a court arbitration, was completely exonerated, and was ordered to be permitted
back at work, DYFS still would not let Kristin return to work. Meanwhile, those above
Kristin who sealed Jamarr’s cruel fate have been promoted to higher offices.
The State of New Jersey has crippled Kristin financially, has stripped her of a career
helping vulnerable children, and has blatantly ignored facts and sworn testimonies
that an investigation of the herein named DYFS and State corroborators is necessary.
Jamarr’s Promise is a call to end corrupt loyalties in New Jersey’s DYFS. It is a call to
protect children from Jamarr’s fate. It is a call for justice for Kristin Morris, who did the
right thing and was punished unjustly for it.
Sign our petition here at Change.org and call for a full investigation of those
responsible for the mismanagement of the Jamarr Cruz case, from Joyce A. Thomas,
NY/NJ Regional Administrator of the Administration for Children & Families.
Petitioning Joyce.Thomas@acf.hhs.gov
https://goo.gl/YKWzUq
www.wisdomhousebooks.com • 919-883-4669 • Clara@wisdomhousebooks.com
Wisdom House Books
www.jamarrspromise.com
Paperback: $12.95 U.S. $18.95 CAN ISBN: 978-0-9983799-0-6
E-book: $2.99 ISBN: 978-0-9983799-2-0
TRUE CRIME / Murder / General
Wisdom House Books
REVIEW COMING SOON!
