Rescue The Fosters: SHE WAS EXPOSING CPS - Remembering the Late Sen. Nancy Schaefer

Nancy Smith Schaefer (June 28, 1936 – March 26, 2010) was an American politician and conservative activist who served as a Georgia State Senator from 2004 to 2008. Born in Clayton, Georgia, of German descent, she attended the University of Georgia and the Atlanta College of Art before earning a bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan College. A prominent figure in Georgia’s conservative circles starting in the 1980s, she founded Schaefer Family Concerns, Inc. in 1986, a nonprofit focused on issues like public displays of the Ten Commandments and opposition to abortion.Schaefer ran for Mayor of Atlanta in 1993, was the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor in 1994 (losing to Democrat Pierre Howard), and placed third in the 1998 Republican primary for Governor. Elected to the Georgia State Senate in 2004 for the 50th district, a conservative region covering eight counties in northeast Georgia, she served two terms until 2008, when she lost a Republican primary to Jim Butterworth. Known for her strong Christian faith, she was a former first vice president of the Georgia Baptist Convention, a trustee at Toccoa Falls College, and a frequent speaker on conservative issues, including opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage. She also hosted a commentary show on Atlanta’s WNIV-AM Christian radio.Schaefer was a vocal critic of Child Protective Services (CPS), alleging corruption and overreach in a 2007 report, claiming the agency wrongfully removed children for profit. Her work on this issue gained significant attention, particularly among families affected by CPS.On March 26, 2010, Schaefer and her husband of 52 years, Bruce Schaefer, were found dead in their Habersham County home in Turnerville, Georgia. Nancy had a single gunshot wound to the back, and Bruce to the chest. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation concluded it was a murder-suicide perpetrated by Bruce, with a handgun and a suicide note found nearby. Financial troubles were cited as a possible motive, though no serious illnesses were confirmed. However, some, including friend Garland Favorito, questioned the murder-suicide narrative, suggesting her CPS criticism may have made her a target, though no evidence supports this theory. The couple, married for 52 years with five children, were remembered at a funeral attended by over 800 people, celebrated for their faith and community involvement.