Suspect in East Bay toddler’s death pleads not guilty

 

http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_12853685?nclick_check=1

Sophia Kazmi

Valley Times

Posted: 07/16/2009 04:47:28 PM PDT

Updated: 07/17/2009 06:54:57 AM PDT

PLEASANTON — A Livermore woman accused of killing a 23-month-old toddler in her care has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Mary Katherine Downing, 54, appeared in Alameda County Superior Court on Thursday. The toddler, Heaven Hernandez, is the granddaughter of Downing’s fiance.

Downing was arrested in March after the death of the girl.

On March 21, police say Downing called 911 from her home in the 2100 block of Percheron Road to report that the toddler was unresponsive. When police arrived, they noticed the girl had injuries indicating that she may have been abused.

According to court records, the toddler had multiple skull fractures and bruises, blood on the brain, internal bleeding and trauma to her chest when she was taken to Children’s Hospital and Research Center Oakland. She was declared brain-dead March 23 and taken off life-support two days later.

Downing originally told investigators that the girl hurt herself when she fell a few days earlier, but officers did not believe that account because the injuries were not consistent with a fall, according to court records. She later told police she had accidentally dropped the girl once, and then violently shook and dropped the child at least three more times after that.

Heaven also had two untreated bone fractures that were beginning to heal, indicating prior abuse, according to records.

Downing is being held without bail at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin on suspicion of murder and assault on a child that led to injury or death.

Emma Puc, who was Heaven’s foster mother, said she has been devastated by the death.

Puc, who lives in San Bernardino, learned just a month ago that Heaven had died.

Puc said she and her husband had wanted to adopt Heaven, who had been taken from her mother at birth.

During the adoption process, Heaven’s biological family was notified, Puc said. And that’s when the girl’s grandfather claimed the baby.

“It’s still like a dream to me,” said Puc. “I keep thinking they will come back and say, ‘We got the wrong little girl’ … I can’t imagine this. I cannot picture this.”

Heaven was born in Riverside County and lived with another woman until she was three months old, when she came to live with Puc’s family.

“She was a happy little girl,” Puc said.

Puc and her husband threw Heaven a huge first birthday party. This year, when the girl’s birthday came around, she and her husband wondered what Heaven’s family was doing for her special day, not knowing the little girl was dead.

The toddler’s first words were “hi, baby,” Puc said, because that is how Puc greeted Heaven each time she picked her up from her crib.

“I keep having dreams and keep hearing her say ‘hi baby,’ Puc said. “It kills me.”

Reach Sophia Kazmi at 925-847-2122 or skazmi@bayareanewsgroup.com.