The Criminalization of Khaila Wilks: A System That Protects Abusers and Punishes Black Mothers

Khaila Wilk's fight for her daughter, Iris, has been met with obstruction, injustice, and betrayal at every turn. What began as a mother seeking to protect her child has turned into a nightmare of legal retaliation and systemic failure.

A Stolen Child, An Ignored Mother

In 2020, Khaila was awarded sole permanent custody of her daughter, Iris Crum. However, during a visit with her father, Anthony Crum abducted Iris and never returned her.

For the next eight months (2020-2021), Khaila did everything in her power to get her daughter back, seeking help from law enforcement and the courts—only to be dismissed at every turn. Meanwhile, from 2021 to 2023, Anthony moved Iris between multiple states, leaving a trail of legal issues in each one.

The First News of Iris in Two Years

In May 2023, Iris’s school contacted her grandmother, Christina, with devastating news: Iris had been abandoned. This was the first time the family had heard of her whereabouts since 2021.

Shortly after, Anthony reappeared, admitting to Christina that he could not take care of Iris because he had no money or resources. When he finally returned Iris to her grandmother, the child showed significant signs of abuse, including cigarette burns, missing patches of hair, and extreme frailty.

In a recorded conversation, Iris confirmed that Anthony had inflicted those scars.

A Mother’s Call for Help Is Ignored

Upon learning of the abuse, Khaila immediately took action, calling Child Protective Services (CPS) in California to report Anthony. The California courts ignored the evidence.

Khaila then contacted Tennessee’s Department of Children’s Services (DCS), where she had been living at the time. When the case reached an evidentiary hearing, DCS failed to show up, and Tennessee also ignored the abuse evidence.

Retaliation Against Khaila

Rather than being held accountable for his actions, Anthony retaliated. He contacted the Child Abduction Unit (CAU), falsely claiming that Khaila had kidnapped Iris and taken her to Tennessee. To justify this, Anthony used an outdated 2018 custody order, despite the fact that a more recent 2020 ruling had granted Khaila sole permanent custody.

Despite the clear legal record, the system took Anthony’s word at face value and launched a campaign against Khaila. This outdated order became the basis for a fraudulent child abduction claim, giving the courts and law enforcement an excuse to criminalize a mother trying to protect her child.

The System Chooses the Abuser

Rather than protecting Iris, the system sided with Anthony.

• Tennessee and California issued warrants for Khaila’s arrest.

• Several police agencies and media outlets blasted out a “kidnapping” alert with Khaila’s mugshot, framing her as a fugitive.

• Social media chatter fueled the false narrative, with people quick to villainize a Black mother while sympathizing with the white father who had kidnapped and abused their child.

This is a familiar pattern: the media bends over backward to depict white men as heroes and Black women as villains.

Khaila Arrested, While Anthony Faces No Consequences

While pregnant, Khaila was arrested, extradited to California, and held for five months on a staggering $1.1 million bail. The courts treated her as a criminal rather than a mother trying to protect her child.

Meanwhile, Anthony continued to move freely, without consequences for the harm he inflicted on Iris.

Justice for Khaila and Iris

Khaila Wilks is a mother who fought to protect her daughter. Instead of support, she has faced criminalization, harassment, and incarceration—all while the man responsible for harming Iris has been shielded.

This case is not just about Khaila and Iris. It is about how the legal system devalues Black mothers and protects white abusers.

The Where is Iris Crum? Coalition demands immediate action:

• Drop all fraudulent charges against Khaila Wilks and release her immediately.

• Launch a full investigation into the abuse Iris suffered and the system’s failure to protect her.

• Hold accountable the courts, attorneys, and officials who enabled this injustice.

• Expose and resist the media’s role in criminalizing Black mothers while protecting white men.