Maleah Davis, 4, has been missing for over three weeks now, and many fear she’s not alive.

The little girl’s mother Brittany Bowens’ ex-fiance, Darion Vence, was arrested and charged in her disappearance, and Maleah’s family allegedly believes Bowens didn’t adequately protect Maleah. Now, they are reportedly seeking to remove Bowens’ two other children from her custody.

On Wednesday morning, Maleah’s family, including Bowens, appeared for a Child Protective Services (CPS) hearing in downtown Houston. Crowds of demonstrators gathered outside of the courtroom to protest Bowens’ other two children remaining in her custody, saying she hasn’t done a good enough job keeping them safe.

"As a mother, you're supposed to protect your kids, and me sending this message to her, you didn't protect Maleah. You didn't protect her. And mothers have to stand up and protect their kids," Parents Against Predators' Sonia Parker told ABC13 on Wednesday (May 22).
This isn’t the first time CPS made an inquiry into the welfare of Bowens’ children. Three months before her disappearance, CPS removed Maleah and her two siblings from their home after she suffered a severe head injury. At the time, her family claimed that she hit her head on a table and she was returned home.

Vence has been charged with tampering with evidence related to a corpse and is in jail on a $45,000 bond. Police do not believe Maleah is still alive. Bowens and the rest of Maleah’s family have not spoken out about the CPS inquiry, as they are under orders from the judge to remain silent.