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Police: Boy Likely Died Of Malnutrition-4 yr old weighed 16 pounds when he died Christmas Day
ksat.com ^

Posted on 12/30/2003 6:15:12 AM PST by chance33_98

Police: Boy Likely Died Of Malnutrition

Homicide Ruling Expected By Medical Examiner

POSTED: 6:59 PM CST December 29, 2003 UPDATED: 7:10 PM CST December 29, 2003

SAN ANTONIO -- Bexar County sheriff's detectives say they expect a medical examiner's ruling of homicide in the death of 4-year-old Jovannie Ochoa. The cause of death is expected to be malnutrition, as the boy weighed just 16 pounds when he died Christmas Day. Most boys his age weigh 30 to 45 pounds.

The boy's mother, an alleged heroin addict, claims her son's food needed special preparation because he couldn't keep solids down.

When the boy arrived at Methodist Children's Hospital on Christmas morning, detectives said he was in hideous condition, with sunken eyes, as well as old and new bruises on his face and head.

Also disturbing to many was the state's inability to find the boy after repeated visits, phone calls and letters, despite previous reports of alleged abuse and neglect.

"It's been well over a year that child protective services has seen this family," said Mariana Yzaguirre from Child Protective Services. "But there were several other people who did in fact see this child."

But no one took him to an emergency room, until it was too late.

Police say his father, Domingo Esqueda, was in prison, convicted of murder before the child was born.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: addiction; cpswatch
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1 posted on 12/30/2003 6:15:13 AM PST by chance33_98
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To: LadyShallott; AnnaZ; netmilsmom
Ping
2 posted on 12/30/2003 6:21:16 AM PST by chance33_98
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To: chance33_98
I'm in San Antonio and hadn't heard this story on the radio. Truly very, very sad. I hate to hear about abused little children. There has to be a place in hell for the people who hurt children.
3 posted on 12/30/2003 6:27:06 AM PST by Alissa
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To: chance33_98
I don't even know what to say to this. I'm about to vomit.

What is wrong with people?! Sheeshh...

4 posted on 12/30/2003 6:28:15 AM PST by mattdono (Big Arnie: "Crush the democrats, drive them before you, and hear the lamentations of the scumbags.")
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To: chance33_98
"It's been well over a year that child protective services has seen this family," said Mariana Yzaguirre from Child Protective Services. "But there were several other people who did in fact see this child."

Mmmmm...a nice mix of government incompetence and people's give-a-$hit mentality. Oh what a beautiful morning.

5 posted on 12/30/2003 6:31:20 AM PST by BureaucratusMaximus (if we're not going to act like a constitutional republic...lets be the best empire we can be...)
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To: chance33_98
Poor kid. Thousands of childless couples would have loved him, took care of him, treated him like the special little child he was, and showered him with love and acceptance and Christmas gifts.

I just don't get it.
6 posted on 12/30/2003 6:32:04 AM PST by Skooz (Jesus Christ is Lord..... Deal with it.)
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To: chance33_98
Disgusting. My son is going to be 4 in March and he's about 42lbs. He's autistic too which means he will not ask for food, his mother and father have to put it before him regularly and offer him snacks to be sure he gets something to eat. This is a parent's job, double the responsibility when the child is special needs and can't indicate what they want or need things prepared in a certain way. How can people be so negligent?

Specially made food? Yeah, I bet he couldn't keep solids down when he probably hadn't eaten in several weeks. Geez.
7 posted on 12/30/2003 6:33:00 AM PST by cupcakes
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To: chance33_98
Had to stop reading and look at the picture of my 4 1/2 year old.
16 lbs...
My only comfort is that the little boy is now in the loving arms of the Lamb of God, and will never feel hunger or pain again.
May the mother rot... both here and in the next.
8 posted on 12/30/2003 6:35:42 AM PST by cavtrooper21 (Coffee, the elixer of life..or something resembling life.)
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To: cavtrooper21
My only comfort is that the little boy is now in the loving arms of the Lamb of God, and will never feel hunger or pain again.

Ditto. That's the only way I can cope with stories like this.

9 posted on 12/30/2003 6:37:40 AM PST by Skooz (Jesus Christ is Lord..... Deal with it.)
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To: BureaucratusMaximus
"It's been well over a year that child protective services has seen this family," said Mariana Yzaguirre from Child Protective Services."

On the local news station woai, they showed the boy's aunt who had contacted cps three times regarding the this child. She also showed the letters she had received from CPS that stated the child did not require their services at this time.

The aunt was devastated as after she had started filing the complaints against her family they had denied her access to the child, and the home. She stated that CPS told her that when they had gone to the home, the Grandmother said the boy was not available, so never even saw the child.

10 posted on 12/30/2003 6:41:31 AM PST by sockmonkey
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To: chance33_98
The boy's mother, an alleged heroin addict - ok someone please explain to me who allowed this mother to take care of her kid. Kid is dead because of that irresponsible woman. There are many couples who can not have kids and would love to adopt. Wonder where social services and other agencies.
11 posted on 12/30/2003 6:44:06 AM PST by matrix2225
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To: chance33_98
...the state's inability to find the boy after repeated visits,...

Does "the state's" mean "the CPS's?" I suspect so. Why? They seem to be able to intecede only on stationary targets where little or no effort is involved.

12 posted on 12/30/2003 6:45:00 AM PST by FreePaul
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To: mattdono
I have two things to say,
1. May God have mercy on this poor child.
2. May the law show the mother (I use that term loosely) no mercy.
13 posted on 12/30/2003 6:46:34 AM PST by RiflemanSharpe (An American for a more socially and fiscally conservation America!)
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To: chance33_98; Dane; CWOJackson; robertpaulsen
Harry Browne claims that heroin is not a very addictive drug, and that it would be wrong for states to prohibit its sale to anyone, supposedly including Jovannie Ochoa if he was hungry enough for it.


"Hello."

14 posted on 12/30/2003 6:54:19 AM PST by Cultural Jihad
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To: chance33_98
Also disturbing to many was the state's inability to find the boy after repeated visits, phone calls and letters, despite previous reports of alleged abuse and neglect.

I was a CPS worker and sometimes it is very difficult to find people when they don't want to be found. Don't blame DHS as it does appear they did make a concerted effort with "repeated visits, phone calls and letters." This is apparently an Hispanic family and in my experience they (nothing racial/ethnic intended) tend to close ranks.

"It's been well over a year that child protective services has seen this family," said Mariana Yzaguirre from Child Protective Services. "But there were several other people who did in fact see this child."

Sounds like there hasn't been a report to DHS in over a year so again don't blame DHS. Until there's a report of something substantial, how the heck would DHS know anything about it. If they did have the case 4 years ago then it was closed as it should have been if everything at that time was ok. We don't know if the past involvement with DHS was setting the family up with aid when the baby was born or something more. The blame should fall on "the several other people who did in fact see this child" who obviously did nothing. I hate to say it but they were probably the same neighbors and relatives who kept mum when DHS was trying to find the child.

15 posted on 12/30/2003 6:54:28 AM PST by mtbopfuyn
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To: mtbopfuyn
See post #10 for more info on the story.
16 posted on 12/30/2003 6:58:35 AM PST by chance33_98
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To: FreePaul
They only intercede when it is a white family.
17 posted on 12/30/2003 7:02:11 AM PST by philetus (Keep doing what you always do and you'll keep getting what you always get)
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To: Cultural Jihad
That's right. And if heroin were legal (therefore inexpensive) the mother would have had enough money left over to afford a live-in nurse to care for her child. And then the mother would have gotten a job. Paid taxes and everything.

Damn the WOD!

18 posted on 12/30/2003 7:03:23 AM PST by robertpaulsen
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To: Cultural Jihad
In Harry's world little Jovannie Ochoa, could have walked into any pharmacy and get his mother's heroin.
19 posted on 12/30/2003 7:15:52 AM PST by Dane
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To: Cultural Jihad
Merry Christmas Harry...
20 posted on 12/30/2003 8:17:31 AM PST by CWOJackson
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