LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - It’s been 20 years since 7-year-old Ricky Holland was murdered by his foster mother at their home in Ingham County.

At the time, people called the tragic case a failure of Michigan’s child welfare system, and a push for change followed, but some advocates say there is more work to be done to prevent more deaths like Ricky’s.

“There were signs everywhere that somebody should have intervened,” said Ingham County Judge Rosemarie Aquilina.

If someone had stepped in at the right time, Ricky would be 27 years old today. Aquilina said his murder could have been prevented and when the case ended up in her courtroom, she hoped it would be cause for change.

“I thought, I was convinced actually, that after Ricky Holland, that his life would mean something,” she told News 1

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