WOMAN ACCUSED OF BRANDING CHILD WITH POTATO MASHER

 

http://www.kfor.com/news/local/kfor-news-childed-branded-story,0,5098466.story

MIDWEST CITY — It’s one of the worst cases of child abuse Midwest City Police say they’ve ever seen. A foster mother accused of branding a child all over his body.

Chief Brandon Clabes, Midwest City Police Department, said “You know how painful it is when you just get a minor burn. Can you imagine this poor, little 9 year old being repeatedly branded by a woman who’s supposed to be taking care of him & loving him?”

Midwest City Police say the 9-year-old boy suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns from his foster mother as a punishment.

Clabes said, “The foster mother accused him of stealing money from her. At that point she took this potato masher, heated it on the stove to where it was red hot & branded him.”

The boy told police he then went back to his bedroom, started crying and then the 72-year-old foster mother Joycelyn Louis told him “I’m not finished with you” and continued to burn him. She then allegedly told him, if anybody asks, “say you were accidentally burned.”

The foster mother refused to talk with police, but on the affidavit we see she told a DHS worker, “the child would not listen so she she heated the potato masher on the stove and pressed it lightly to his skin on his arms.”

The boy is in DHS custody. (The boy was in DHS custody when this happened too, that is what being in the care of a foster parent is…, why do they write this statement…just because they are in DHS custody…doesn’t mean that they are safe. This story more then proves that!)Police are waiting for a warrant for Louis’ arrest. We went to her house and family-owned business to talk to her, but her family said she did not want to talk to us.

 

JURY SELECTION COMPLETE IN MAXWELL TRIAL

 

http://www.cnycentral.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=330377

 

By Jim Kenyon

Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at 11:49 p.m.

PALERMO, OSWEGO COUNTY — Jury selection is now complete in the trial of Lynn and Lindsey Maxwell, the parents of young murder victim Erin Maxwell. Tuesday night, six jurors and two alternates were seated. Two endangerment charges have been dismissed at the prosecution’s request, based on a lack of proof.

Lynn and Lindsey Maxwell are now on trial for four charges of child endangerment stemming from August 29th, the day Erin Maxwell died, and August 15th of last year.

In both cases, they’re accused of locking Erin in her room, which would have prevented her escape in the event of an emergency. They are also accused of forcing her to live in unsanitary conditions in a house full of animals, feces, and garbage. Testimony in the trial is scheduled to begin Wednesday evening in Palermo Town Court.

Palermo Town Justice Robert Wood also ruled that defense attorney Sal Lanza cannot call Oswego County social workers or Department of Social Services Commissioner Fran Lanigan to the witness stand. Lanza hopes to bolster his case by showing that case workers had investigated three complaints about Erin Maxwell’s living conditions up until May of 2006, and yet decided to allow Erin to remain in the Palermo home.

The judge also told the prosecution and defense not to talk to the media during the trial. The trial is expected to last through the week, possibly through Saturday and into next week.

Erin Maxwell’s stepbrother Alan Jones is charged with her murder. His trial is scheduled to begin in September.

MOTHER CHARGED FOR BEATING CHILD INTO COMA

 

http://www.abc4.com/content/news/slc/story/Mother-charged-for-beating-child-into-coma/f-d-Ag5d50uLgBmKXPftpQ.cspx

Last Update: 7/29 9:43 am

 

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah (ABC 4 News) – West Valley City mother Emperatriz Meza-Reyna now faces attempted murder and child abuse charges, as her 7-year-old daughter remains in a coma at Pioneer Valley Hospital.

The Salt Lake County District Attorney says 21 year-old Meza-Reyna nearly beat her child to death. On July 22, Meza-Reyna brought her to the hospital and told doctors the girl fell down a flight of stairs. Doctors said the injuries were inconsistent with that story. Police agree.

“We think she was either struck with a heavy object at a high velocity or she was slammed into a wall or something like that,” said Capt. Tom McLachlin of the West Valley City Police Department.

Surgeons had to operate on the girl’s brain and say she may have permanent damage. Court records show the child’s been abused before by her mother. In January, Meza-Reyna plead guilty to child abuse. Typically, convicted parents must go through programs or classes to reunite with their child.

Juvenile court records are not public so it’s not exactly known why Meza-Reyna was allowed to reunite with her daughter. The judge in the criminal case put the mother on 36 months of probation instead of giving her jail time. Meza-Reyna was granted custody again despite making a previous statement to police that she was glad she was arrested because she feared she would kill her daughter. She made that comment in January 2008, according to court records.

“It’s possible that there are agencies that will look into this and I think that’s good,” said Liz Sollis, spokesperson for the Division of Child and Family Services. “We should always be looking to see whether we did what we needed to do and what we could have done differently or better.”

Sollis would not comment on the specifics of this case but she did say there’s been a slight increase in repeat offenses. D-C-F-S says, in 2007, 12% of children returned to their care. In 2008, that number rose to 14%.