You're listening to NPR. You care about local politics. But it can be hard to keep track and

understand how it affects you. I'm Scott Greenstone. And I'm Libby Dankman. And on sound politics,

we talk about this and the other Washington like normal people. As normal as we can pretend to be.

We get beyond the headlines, ask the tough questions, and tie the big stories back to our own backyard.

Sound politics. Listen now on the KUOW app or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hey, good morning. Paige Browning here. It's Saturday. This is Seattle now. Today we're bringing you the best from the KUOW Newsroom.

Removing a child from their home can be very harmful for them. And historically, child welfare workers were much more likely to take black and Native American children away from their birth parents than other kids.

So over the last several years, Washington State made policy changes

to keep more birth families together.

But now, critics say those changes have gone too far

and made children less safe

and they should be reversed.

A note to listeners,

the following story discusses child abuse and death.

Ilyish O'Neill reports.

The first time Mariah got pregnant, she was 20 years old. She was addicted to heroin and living

in motels. She gave birth at Valley Medical Center in Renton. Child Protective Services told her she couldn't bring the baby home.

Instead, Mariah's aunt took the baby.

It was a really hard time.

You took my daughter away when I was in my addiction.

My only way to cope with that was just to dive deeper into my addiction.

That was back in 2016.

...