Laila Daniel was born on July 18, 2013, in Georgia, USA. Her parents, Tessa Daniel and Anthony, both had challenging lives before Laila Daniel’s arrival. Two years earlier, Tessa had given birth to another daughter, Millie Place. Both parents grew up in tough environments. Tessa, from an early age, faced hardships that placed her into the child care system, spending her formative years in foster homes. Similarly, Anthony experienced difficulties that influenced their future as a family.
Despite their intentions, Tessa and Anthony struggled to create a stable home for their daughters. Substance abuse and legal troubles dominated their lives, leading to a household environment filled with instability and toxic dynamics. Child and family services in Georgia began visiting the home regularly, monitoring the wellbeing of Millie and Laila Daniel. Initial assessments revealed troubling issues like domestic violence and neglectful living conditions.
As time went on, Tessa’s substance abuse intensified, leading to her hospitalization. Laila Daniel remained with a family friend, Cynthia Tate, while Millie went to live with her grandmother. Although Cynthia provided a loving and stable environment, Tessa’s struggles continued, culminating in her arrest for methamphetamine distribution in early 2015, resulting in a three-month prison term. During this period, Anthony was also incarcerated, leaving the girls once again under the care of their grandmother and Cynthia.
Entering the Foster Care System
Upon her release, Tessa moved in with Cynthia but failed a court-mandated drug test, prompting authorities to place Millie and Laila Daniel in foster care. The girls were entrusted to Lorita Brown, an experienced foster mother committed to offering a safer environment. At this point, Millie was four years old, and Laila was 21 months old. Despite Lorita’s dedication, social services continued moving the girls, searching for a more permanent placement.
In May 2015, Millie and Laila Daniel were placed with Jennifer and Joseph Rosenbaum. Although the Rosenbaums weren’t formally certified by a foster agency, they were eager to provide temporary care. Jennifer, who was 27 at the time, shared a troubled past with Tessa. She, too, had endured a childhood marked by instability and abuse, which had led her into foster care at age nine. Despite her tumultuous background, Jennifer pursued higher education, eventually enlisting in the army and working towards a law degree.
Jennifer and Joseph, who had met in the foster system, married in 2009. Jennifer was assertive and ambitious, while Joseph, who had cystic fibrosis, was described as gentle and mild-mannered. Together, they presented themselves as a resilient couple who overcame significant obstacles.
Jennifer, active on social media, crafted an image of herself as a selfless advocate for children in need. Her husband’s cystic fibrosis added to the narrative of resilience and determination, as the illness often affects life expectancy and fertility. With a desire to build a family, Jennifer set her sights on fostering children, though their initial application was rejected due to her history in the child welfare system. Determined, she reapplied using her married name, hoping her background wouldn’t disqualify her again. This time, Jennifer attended foster parenting workshops, though she resisted the extensive background checks, convinced that her difficult past and recent accomplishments made her uniquely suited for the role.
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A Self-Perceived Ideal Candidate for Adoption
Jennifer firmly believed she was the perfect choice for any child in need of a home. The rigorous adoption assessment, however, left her feeling frustrated and resentful. During a heated call with a child services worker, Jennifer’s irritation boiled over, and her tone became harsh, culminating in threats. As a result, her application was promptly denied.
In April 2015, while at the courthouse, Jennifer noticed a familiar face—Tessa’s grandmother. Seeing an opportunity, she took it upon herself to investigate Tessa’s case, discovering details about the adoption search for Laila Daniel and Millie. Jennifer soon reached out to Tessa through social media, reviving a childhood connection and positioning herself as a compassionate figure. She offered to take in the girls, assuring Tessa that she would provide a loving, stable home.
At that time, Jennifer appeared to have her life in perfect order. She was preparing to run for a county commission seat, advancing in her third year of law school, and had built a respectable reputation. Her social and financial standing seemed ideal, convincing Tessa that Jennifer could provide the security she wanted for her daughters.
Encouraged by Jennifer’s assurances, Tessa contacted the social worker managing the case, requesting that her daughters visit the Rosenbaums. Soon, Laila and Millie started spending time at Jennifer and Joseph’s home. Laila Daniel, just two years old, hadn’t begun speaking yet and had inconsistent eating habits, while four-year-old Millie was protective of her younger sister. Despite the hopeful move, concerns quickly surfaced.
Warning Signs Ignored
Patricia Lambert, the girls’ temporary caregiver, meticulously documented everything about their wellbeing. After visits to the Rosenbaum household, Patricia observed troubling signs: the girls returned with unexplained bruises and burns. She reported these injuries to social services multiple times and even brought the girls directly to the agency, supporting her concerns with photographic evidence. Yet, her reports went unacknowledged.
Jennifer insisted the injuries had occurred during visits with the girls’ biological family—a claim that could have been easily disproven if Patricia’s records had been reviewed. Some speculated that Jennifer’s professional connections might have influenced the outcome. The system failed to protect the girls, and on July 24, 2015, a judge approved their permanent placement with the Rosenbaums, bypassing essential requirements and necessary paperwork.
After the placement, Jennifer emailed Tessa, falsely claiming that social services required a 30-day no-contact period to help the girls adjust. Even after this period ended, Jennifer continued to fabricate reasons to limit contact between the girls and their biological family, severing their familial ties altogether. During this time, Tessa learned she was pregnant again, and Jennifer, seemingly interested in obtaining custody of this new child as well, maintained a superficial line of communication with Tessa.
Tessa, still somewhat trusting of Jennifer, occasionally asked for photos of her daughters. Despite having roughly 2,000 pictures of Millie, Jennifer would only send the oldest ones. When Tessa specifically requested a recent photo of Laila Daniel, Jennifer sent one reluctantly, showing Laila with a visible injury near her eye. Jennifer claimed the injury happened at daycare, though Laila was not enrolled in any such program.
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Red Flags Noted by Neighbors
The girls’ case was supposed to be monitored by a social worker, responsible for conducting monthly home visits and private interviews with each girl. Yet, the reports from these visits showed no indication of any issues. In August 2015, however, a neighbor noticed bruising around both of Laila’s eyes. Jennifer explained that Laila had fallen down the stairs and hit her nose. Unconvinced, the neighbor, a nurse, urged Jennifer to take Laila Daniel to the children’s hospital immediately. Hours later, when it became clear that Jennifer hadn’t sought medical help, the neighbor confronted her again, emphasizing the potential seriousness of head injuries in young children. Jennifer promised she would take Laila to the hospital the following day.
Throughout this ordeal, Jennifer’s control over the situation intensified, using manipulation to present an idealized version of the care she provided. The warning signs were there, but they were dismissed, leaving Laila Daniel and Millie without the protection they desperately needed.
The alarming incidents continued to unfold. In October 2015, Laila Daniel sustained a leg injury, which was diagnosed as a fracture during a visit to the emergency room. Jennifer claimed that the injury happened during a gymnastics class at Laila’s grandmother’s home. However, this explanation was soon debunked when it was revealed that Laila was not enrolled in any gymnastics activities.
The Final 911 Call
On November 17, 2015, Jennifer made a frantic call to 911, reporting that Laila Daniel was struggling to breathe and allegedly choking on a piece of chicken. For over 13 minutes, the operator provided CPR instructions, but Jennifer claimed she was too fearful of making an error. She described using her fingers and even a butter knife in an attempt to clear the airway. Tragically, Laila passed away moments before the paramedics arrived. When they arrived, the paramedics tried resuscitating Laila but quickly noted troubling injuries on her back. Jennifer claimed she was unaware of these marks, attributing any unknown injuries to Laila’s background as an adoptee.
At the hospital, doctors uncovered multiple injuries on Laila Daniel, prompting an alert to social services and law enforcement. Millie was also brought in and examined, revealing bruises in various stages of healing across her hip, head, arm, and back—clear indications of abuse. Although Millie’s injuries weren’t as extensive as Laila’s, they were deeply concerning. Authorities quickly intervened, moving Millie back to Patricia’s care to ensure her safety.
The Autopsy Report
The following day, November 18, 2015, Laila Daniel’s autopsy revealed extensive injuries, including bruises and fractures throughout her body. Contrary to Jennifer’s claims, the cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma to the abdomen, not choking. With these findings, Jennifer and Joseph were promptly arrested. Although they posted bail, their return home sparked outrage within the community and among the biological family.
The tragic case exposed severe oversight failures within the child welfare system. An internal review led to the dismissal of two social workers responsible for Laila Daniel and Millie’s case, as they had overlooked vital warning signs that could have saved the girls from further harm.
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The Trial and Verdict
In July 2019, the trial against Jennifer and Joseph Rosenbaum commenced. They faced 49 charges, including murder, aggravated assault, and child cruelty related to Laila’s death and Millie’s injuries. Both Jennifer and Joseph pleaded not guilty, with Jennifer’s defense arguing that any harm to Laila Daniel occurred while she was attempting to dislodge food from her throat. However, Millie’s emotional testimony revealed specific instances of physical punishment by Jennifer, exposing the true extent of the abuse.
In October 2019, the court found both Jennifer and Joseph guilty. Jennifer received a life sentence plus 40 years, while Joseph was sentenced to 50 years, with 30 years in prison and 20 on probation. Jennifer appealed, citing ineffective legal representation, but her appeal was denied by the state supreme court in March 2023.
The tragedy of Laila Daniel’s death and Millie’s traumatic experiences ignited widespread discussion on the need for improved foster care oversight and stronger child protection laws. This case highlighted how the failure of a single system can lead to devastating consequences for vulnerable children, sparking calls for comprehensive reforms to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
