Where is Iris Crum?
The criminalization of Khaila Wilks Czereda and the legal kidnapping of Iris Crum
Iris Crum
Iris Crum is a beloved daughter, granddaughter, and a child who deserves safety, love, and protection. Instead, she has been at the center of a legal battle that has prioritized her abuser over her well-being. She is a survivor of neglect, violence, and a system that has failed to protect her.
A Child Kidnapped and Forgotten by the System
​Born to Khaila Wilks Czereda, her rightful and legal custodian, Iris had a stable home where she was cared for and protected. However, in 2020, her father, Anthony Crum, took her during a visit and never returned her.
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For the next two years, Iris was moved between multiple states, kept away from her mother, and hidden from the people who loved her most. Despite Khaila’s desperate attempts to involve law enforcement and the courts, the system refused to intervene and allowed Anthony to keep her.
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Neglect and Abuse
In May 2023, Iris’s school contacted her grandmother, Christina, with shocking news: Iris had been abandoned. This was the first time her family had received any word about her in two years.
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Shortly after, Anthony resurfaced, admitting he could not care for Iris because he had no money or resources. When he returned her to Christina, Iris was visibly malnourished, frail, and had suffered horrific abuse.
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She had cigarette burns on her body.
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She had missing patches of hair.
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She showed clear signs of neglect.
In a recorded conversation, Iris confirmed that her father, Anthony, had inflicted these injuries upon her.
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The System’s Failure to Protect Iris
Despite overwhelming evidence of abuse, the legal system once again failed her.
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California Child Protective Services (CPS) ignored the reports and refused to act.
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Tennessee’s Department of Children’s Services (DCS) failed to appear at the evidentiary hearing, allowing Anthony to evade accountability.
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Rather than protecting Iris, the system retaliated against her mother, Khaila, by arresting her on false charges.
Returned to a Dangerous Environment
After suffering so much, Iris should have been reunited with her mother in safety. Instead, after a recent car accident, she has been placed back under the control of Anthony’s family—a family with ties to the Ku Klux Klan (KKK).
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This is the same family that rejected her because of her Black identity, the same family that tolerated her abuse, and the same family that now holds power over her future.
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The Fight to Bring Iris Home
The Where is Iris Crum? Coalition demands immediate action:
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Iris must be removed from Anthony Crum and his family immediately.
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She must be placed in a safe, protective environment with her mother and those who love her.
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A full investigation must be launched into the abuse she endured and the systemic failures that allowed it to happen.
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Every agency and official that ignored her suffering must be held accountable.
Iris Deserves Justice
Iris Crum is more than just a child at the center of a legal fight—she is a survivor, a victim of state-sanctioned violence, and a little girl who deserves a future free from harm.
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We will not stop until Iris is home, safe, and protected.
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#WhereIsIrisCrum #JusticeForKhaila #ProtectBlackFamilies #BelieveBlackWomen
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