Rally In Toddler's Memory To Demand Action From NYS Lawmakers: Aug. 11

MINEOLA, NY — Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, will mark six years since Kyra Franchetti, 2, was laid to rest. The bright-eyed and exuberant toddler was killed by her father, in what authorities described as a tragic murder-suicide.

On the anniversary of her burial, members of Kyra's Champions Student Advocacy Program will demand that New York State lawmakers approve a legislative package aimed at preventing children from being abused and murdered in child custody cases. The rally is scheduled to take place outside the Nassau County Courthouse at 10 a.m.

The centerpiece of the package is Kyra's Law, named in memory of Kyra, who was shot to death in her sleep during an unsupervised, court-ordered visit with her father in Virginia.

For months, Kyra's mother, Jacqueline Franchetti, had been trying to warn a Long Island court that her estranged husband, 58-year-old Roy Eugene Rumsey, was unstable and shouldn't be left alone with their daughter. She believes Kyra would still be alive if the judicial system had listened to her.

"Kyra's Law prioritizes the well-being and safety of children during child custody and visitation proceedings, particularly those involving domestic violence and child abuse," Jacqueline wrote in an email to supporters of Kyra's Champions, an organization founded in her daughter's memory.

Kyra's Law would also mandate training for judges in child abuse and family violence before overseeing cases, and address other critical shortcomings in child custody cases "that result in children being abused at epidemic rates," the Manhasset mother said.

As of Thursday, half of the New York Assembly and one-third of the New York Senate support Kyra's Law, according to Jacqueline's email.

Jacqueline says Kyra is one of 20 children in New York State to be murdered by a parent while going through a custody case, separation, or divorce since 2016. During the rally next week, student advocates will also memorialize those young victims. Joining them at the event will be Jacqueline and lawmakers from New York State.

"What happened to Kyra can happen to any child unless legislative changes are made," Jacqueline said. "Children are being court-ordered into the home of a parent who is physically, sexually, or emotionally abusive at staggering rates."

The number of children who died as a result of abuse or neglect has fluctuated in the past five years, according to the Administration for Children & Families, a division under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The 31st Child Maltreatment Report, which was released in January of 2022, presents fiscal year 2020 data, which is the latest data available. Many cases of maltreatment are seemingly connected to or exacerbated by poverty.

About 1,750 children died from abuse and neglect during fiscal year 2020 compared to an estimated 1,830 kids whose deaths were due to maltreatment during the previous fiscal year. The 2019 national estimate is nearly an 11 percent increase from the 2015 national estimate of 1,660.8, ACF data revealed.

Of course, not all child maltreatment deaths come to the attention of Child Protective Services.

Besides 911, there are a number of resources offered to family members experiencing domestic abuse. A few of them are listed below:

• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
• The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-4-A-CHILD
• New York Center for Children: 212-517-3012
• Prevent Child Abuse New York: 1-800-CHILDREN (244-5373)