Tucson woman on trial in death of 4-month-old foster child
SHERYL KORNMAN
Tucson Citizen
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/50499.php
Four-month-old Dwight Hill died 11 days after he was placed in the care
of Guadalupe Y. Gomez, a state-licensed foster parent.
During opening arguments today in Gomez's trial on a charge of felony
child abuse, her attorney said she had done nothing to contribute to
Dwight's death in November 2005.
But prosecutor Nicol Green told the jury the baby died "in a way no
person should have to endure."
A Pima County coroner's autopsy report indicated the baby died of
blunt-force trauma, bleeding in the brain and a fractured skull.
Gomez's trial comes less than three weeks after a preliminary hearing to
determine whether a foster parent couple should be tried on charges of
felony child abuse in the death of a 16-month-old girl in their care for
less than a month in 2005.
The judge has yet to rule in that case.
In Dwight Hill's case, West said Gomez thought the boy was asleep in his
baby carrier when she took him to a doctor appointment three days after
she noticed he appeared ill.
Green said that on Nov. 16, 2005, Gomez did not indicate to anyone that
the baby needed immediate medical care.
At the time, his fatal injury had already taken place, Green said.
She said Gomez covered the baby with a blanket as she read a magazine
for 45 minutes in the doctor's office until the doctor was ready to
examine the baby.
When the blanket was removed, the doctor saw immediately that the baby
was not breathing and was dead, Green said.
Dwight was born two months premature, addicted to cocaine, and was taken
into state custody shortly after birth.
Child Protective Services placed the baby with Casa de Los Niños.
After several months, the infant was placed in Gomez's care by La Paloma
Family Services, a state contractor that screens and licenses foster
parents.
Gomez was already caring for three other foster children, two of them
2-years-old, and her own son, who is disabled by cerebral palsy.
In court documents, she listed her occupation as "foster parent."
Foster parents receive a state subsidy of about $30 a day for each
foster child living in their home.
All the foster children were removed from her custody after her arrest
in November 2005.
Her state license was revoked by CPS, and she said in court documents
that she has been unable to get a job since she was charged with felony
child abuse in the boy's death.
Her husband Robert Gomez listed his occupation as "unemployed" in court
documents.
He filed divorce papers against his wife last year, but the divorce
action was dismissed recently because there had been no activity in the
case for at least two months.
Before the start of the trial, Gomez's attorney, Steven West, asked the
court not to allow her criminal history to be introduced in this case
and the court agreed.
The criminal history has been sealed by court order.
A charge of murder against Gomez in the baby's death was dismissed
without prejudice, meaning the charge could be refiled. And two counts
of felony child abuse in Dwight Hill's death were combined so that she
now faces one felony count in this trial.
CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ON A
DAILY BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NATIONAL
SECURITY AGENCY/CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY WIRETAPPING PROGRAM....
BE SURE TO FIND OUT WHERE YOUR CANDIDATES STANDS ON THE ISSUE OF
REFORMING OR ABOLISHING CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ("MAKE YOUR CANDIDATES
TAKE A STAND ON THIS ISSUE.") THEN REMEMBER TO VOTE ACCORDINGLY IF THEY
ARE "FAMILY UNFRIENDLY" IN THE NEXT ELECTION...
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