HARRISBURG, Pa. — A new bill was passed by the Pennsylvania Senate in honor of Kayden Mancuso, a seven-year-old who was killed by her father.
Senate Bill 55, also known as 'Kayden’s Law,' aims to save children’s lives by providing urgently needed reform to Pennsylvania’s child custody statute.
The bill was passed unanimously on Wednesday night in Harrisburg. The bi-partisan legislation is sponsored by Senators Steve Santarsiero (D-10) and Lisa Baker (R-20), and is named after Kayden Mancuso, a seven-year-old from Lower Makefield Township, who was killed in August 2018 in a murder-suicide by her biological father during a court-ordered, unsupervised visit granted following a year-long custody dispute.
The Senate Bill 55 will do the following:
- Strengthen the current factors that judges must consider in making custody and visitation decisions, to make it clear that the most important issue is the protection of the child
- Ensure that if there is a finding by the court of an ongoing risk of abuse, that any custody order includes safety conditions and restrictions necessary, including supervised visitation, to protect the child
- Encourage the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to implement an annual educational and training program for judges and relevant court personnel on child abuse, adverse childhood experiences, domestic violence, and its impact on children
Kayden’s biological father, Jeffrey Mancuso, killed the young girl inside his Philadelphia home on August 6, 2018, before taking his own life following a years-long custody battle with her mother, according to ABC News.
“Kayden’s Law has been a years-long collaborative effort, led by the tireless advocacy of Kayden’s mom Kathy Sherlock, along with family law advocates and experts,” said Senator Santarsiero.
“Kayden’s Law will ensure the safety of the child is paramount in custody cases and will save children’s lives,” added Santarsiero. “No child in Pennsylvania should fear for their safety or be left alone with an abuser. Kayden’s Law will help ensure that never happens again by requiring supervised visitation at a minimum when there is a potential risk to the child’s safety.”
Senate Bill 55 now moves to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for consideration.
