REMEMBERING CHINA

China Marie Davis was just two years old when her life was taken in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1993.

China was living in foster care, a system intended to provide safety and protection for children who could not remain in their family homes.

Instead, she experienced severe physical abuse in the home of the adult entrusted with her care.

Her death became one of the cases that raised serious questions about the safety and oversight of Arizona's foster care system.

China's Story

China Marie Davis had been placed in the care of foster mother Dorothy Jane Livingston.

Reports examining her death described approximately 11 months in Livingston's care, during which China suffered repeated and extensive physical injuries.

According to accounts of her autopsy, China had suffered fractures to both collarbones, both forearms and wrists, both thigh bones, and other bones throughout her body. She also sustained a compression fracture of her spine.

These injuries revealed the severity of the physical abuse she had experienced.

Published accounts reported that Livingston repeatedly kicked China down a staircase after the little girl would not clap her hands to gospel music.

China died in October 1993.

She was only two years old.

Her death became the subject of public scrutiny and subsequent litigation involving Arizona child protective services personnel.

Warning Signs and System Failures

China's death raised serious concerns about how Arizona monitored children placed in foster homes.

The extensive injuries documented after her death demonstrated that she had experienced repeated physical trauma.

Following the deaths of China and another foster child, Tajuana Davidson, Arizona officials conducted a review of foster care placements.

A Children's Action Alliance report described troubling findings from that review.

Approximately one third of foster homes and facilities lacked documentation showing that they had been screened for previous abuse or neglect reports.

The review also identified 43 children living in foster homes or facilities associated with validated allegations of abuse or neglect.

China's estate later pursued federal civil litigation involving child protective services caseworkers.

The lawsuit alleged that officials had failed to adequately monitor her placement and protect her from a dangerous foster home.

In October 1996, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of claims against two caseworkers on immunity grounds.

That ruling concerned the caseworkers' legal immunity from the federal civil claims. It did not establish that China had been adequately protected.

China's death remained a painful example of the consequences when children entrusted to protective systems are harmed by the adults responsible for their safety.

JUSTICE FOR CHINA

Following China's death, her foster mother, Dorothy Jane Livingston, was publicly identified in connection with the fatal abuse.

Contemporary reporting described China's death as a murder allegedly committed by her foster mother.

Her estate subsequently pursued civil litigation involving Livingston and Arizona child protective services personnel.

However, the available records reviewed for this memorial do not establish Livingston's final criminal charges, conviction, or sentence.

Those details remain unverified and should not be presented as established facts.

Dorothy Jane Livingston

Relationship to China: Foster mother

Conviction(s): Unknown

Sentence: Unknown

FOREVER REMEMBERED

China Marie Davis was only two years old.

She should have been protected by the adults entrusted with her care.

She should have been able to play, laugh, explore, and grow in a safe home.

Instead, she suffered repeated injuries that no child should ever experience.

Her death exposed serious concerns about the protection of children in foster care and became part of a broader examination of Arizona's child welfare system.

But China deserves to be remembered for more than the failures surrounding her death.

She was a little girl whose life mattered.

She deserved kindness, security, and a childhood free from violence.

Although much of her personal story remains undocumented in the available public records, her name deserves to be spoken and remembered.

China Marie Davis should have had the opportunity to grow up.

Abuse Angels remembers China Marie Davis.

Remembered. Honored. Never Forgotten.