Nationwide — Jade Smith, a 13-year-old African American girl from Brooklyn, New York, died in January 2023 after jumping from the Brooklyn Bridge. Her mother says the city’s child-welfare system made her mental health struggles worse during months in foster care.
Jade’s mother, Terri Nimmo, said the city’s Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) took Jade into foster care despite years of treatment and support at home. According to a federal lawsuit, Jade spent more than four months moving between foster homes while battling severe mental health challenges.
According to the New York Post, Jade struggled with hallucinations and suicidal thoughts from a young age. Nimmo said she did everything possible to help her daughter, including therapy, medication, and inpatient treatment. “My child was so much more than her diagnoses,” Nimmo said. She described Jade as creative, funny, and passionate about anime, art, and debate.
In July 2022, Jade accused her stepfather of sexual abuse, a claim the family says was impossible due to his overnight work schedule. A judge later cleared him. Still, ACS removed Jade from the home. Nimmo said she complied out of fear. “I did whatever ACS said because they told me that they would take all my kids and that I would go to jail if I didn’t listen to them,” she said.
The lawsuit alleges ACS failed to coordinate with Jade’s medical providers, ignored repeated warnings, and took no action when she ran away or faced alleged assaults in foster care.
Jade disappeared for the final time in January 2023. Her body was later found along the East River near the Fulton Ferry Landing.
“They made everything so much worse,” Nimmo said. “She should be here, and she isn’t — and it is ACS’ fault. Their behavior resulted in my daughter dying.”
After her death, the family says ACS continued investigating them for more than a year, including late-night visits. The stress and grief led both parents to lose their jobs and enter the shelter system.
The family has now found housing, but Nimmo said the emotional toll remains. “They are supposed to be there to help families,” she said. “How can they help a family that they won’t listen to?”
The family’s federal lawsuit seeks damages and accountability from the city and ACS. An ACS spokesperson offered condolences and called Jade’s death a tragedy.