Father keeps fighting for ‘Ryla’s Law,’ making certain inmates ineligible for fire camp
Ryan Strange is pushing to keep inmates convicted of certain child abuse crimes from using California's inmate firefighter program to shorten their time in prison.
By Michelle Bandur
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SACRAMENTO, California (KCRA) — After losing his own daughter at the hands of his day care provider, a Rancho Cordova father is fighting to change laws.
Ryan Strange is pushing to keep inmates convicted of certain child abuse crimes from using California’s inmate firefighter program to shorten their time in prison.
“This is for victims,” said Strange. “Ryla is empowering me in her story.”
Ryla Strange was 22 months old when she died at the hands of her Rancho Cordova daycare provider, Kira Collins, in 2019 by Shaken Baby Syndrome and blunt force trauma to the head.
Collins was sentenced to 10 years but only served under three years.
“It felt like the law was being manipulated, and I had to do something,” Strange said. “It was the right thing to do.’
Collins took part in the fire camp program, where she received a two-for-one credit.
For every day she served in the fire camp, she got two days of early release.
“It should not be used as a program to get around justice to cut down your sentence, a sentence that you earned,” said Assembly member Josh Hoover.
Hoover has been working with Strange for three years to get the support of California lawmakers. Ryla’s law failed two times, but it finally passed the public safety committee this week.
“They made a choice to actually prioritize victims over criminals in this case,” Hoover said. “Third time’s a charm. It was a battle. It was a lot of no’s.”
Strange said he knows this won’t bring back Ryla but wants to keep fighting for other victims of child abuse.
“This is for them. This is for victims,” said Strange.
Strange hopes he will soon hear the governor say Ryla’s name, signing the bill with her name into law.
Ryla’s law will now go before the appropriations committee, which discusses the cost of the bill.
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