CANTON – “Justice for Treyanna. CPS (Child Protective Services), you failed,” was one of many chants heard at a rally on behalf of Treyanna Summerville, an 18-year old Gouverneur woman murdered June 22.

The event, “Protect the Children,” drew more than 50 people Wednesday outside the St. Lawrence County Department of Social Services urging reform, funding and education to improve social services. Speakers said CPS has repeatedly failed to protect children from abuse and neglect.

“The system is broken, but if we stand together we can fix it,” said Courtney Fantone, an organizer and foster parent.

Summerville’s stepbrother, Isiah Samuels, and other community members have said Summerville’s mother abused her children repeatedly, despite many calls to Gouverneur police and social services.

A 13-year-old has been charged in the murder, but Samuels told those attending a vigil in Gouverneur on Sunday “my baby sister did not kill her.”

At Wednesday’s rally, Jennifer Baxtron, who organized Black Lives Matter rallies in Potsdam, chanted “Treyanna’s life matters. You failed,” as she told ralliers to face the DDS building so employees could see their signs.

She said CPS has been “failing” for a long time. “They pick and choose who they care about.”

She continued, “CPS workers that didn’t do their job need to be held accountable. They need to be out.”

At Sunday’s vigil, Baxtron said Treyanna had been seen in a laundromat with injuries that should have raised red flags. “The cops were called and found her here sleeping and bloodied. They said she has mental health issues … and did nothing to help her,” she said.

Emily Burgess, one of Treyanna’s classmates, said the “abuse was obvious. We went to authority figures. I don’t know what else we could have done,” she said. “It makes us feel guilty.” Samuels said the home he and his sisters grew up in was abusive, and the system failed the family.

At Wednesday’s rally, Pat Alden, social justice coordinator at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Canton, said social services is consistently underfunded. Adequate funding is important.

Courtney Fantone, a foster parent and one of the organizers, urged those attending to report problems with social services. She said a lawsuit is planned.

A rallier held a sign urging people to call 518-572-8169 or email St.LawrenceDDScomplaints@gmail.com with their complaints.

Attendees were also encouraged to write to Attorney David Haggard, General Counsel to the St. Lawrence County Dept. of Social Services.

“Black children in the United States are two times more likely to be neglected and abused’ than white children, said SUNY Potsdam Professor John Youngblood to those at the rally. “Our systems have failed wholeheartedly.”