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I hit baby so he won't be a 'punk,' dad tells cops
The Miami Herald ^ | 4-25-2003 | CAROL MARBIN MILLER AND TERE FIGUERAS

Posted on 04/25/2003 6:51:14 AM PDT by Cagey

Victor Demetrius Robinson wanted his 8-month-old son to be a man.

His infant, Kelton Wright, was being fussy: New teeth were coming in and he wouldn't stop crying.

So, according to child welfare reports released on Thursday, Robinson stuffed a sock in the baby's mouth and told him: ``Be quiet. You're a boy. Don't cry.''

Three weeks later, Kelton was crying once more -- still teething, now sick with diarrhea, vomiting and feverish.

That's when Robinson punched the baby in the back, and ``shook him violently.''

Kelton stopped crying. The force of his father's blow knocked him forward and forced all the air from his lungs.

The infant managed to crawl toward his mother, Ciji Wright, 19, before his eyes rolled back and he stopped breathing.

Robinson, who is charged with murder, offered this explanation to police: ``I don't want my shorty to grow up to be a punk.''

Kelton died a day later -- March 4 -- at Jackson Memorial Hospital.

He is one of three boys under the watch of the Department of Children & Families to die since February, a statistic that has spurred a public outcry.

The DCF documents released this week reveal more detail about Kelton's short life and the welfare agency's work in the days leading to his death -- casework labeled as ''indefensible'' by Chelly Schembera, then acting head of the DCF's Miami district, in a March 10 e-mail to DCF Secretary Jerry Regier.

Among the details:

• The child abuse investigator assessed the risk to Kelton as ''low'' after responding to the February incident despite Robinson's history of mental illness and molesting a disabled family member. The investigator dated her assessment Feb. 17, but the records show her supervisor did not review the assessment until after Kelton had died.

• Kelton's case was on the table to be reviewed by a DCF attorney Feb. 25 when the attorney postponed his and one other case because ``she had to leave as it was 5 p.m.''

On Thursday, 364 days after DCF reported to police the disappearance of 5-year-old foster child Rilya Wilson, several state lawmakers gathered in Tallahassee to mourn the death of Kelton and the three other children who have died under DCF care since February -- and call on Gov. Jeb Bush to delay the confirmation of Regier as secretary.

''We should not be wringing our hands over more beaten children, more neglected infants, more tiny graves,'' said Sen. Frederica Wilson, D-Miami.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: childabuse
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To: Okies love Dubya 2
I wanted to add that I know what it is like to feel like you are losing your cool with a child. I have an autistic son with inconsolable rages where he is self-destructive and also destructive to our home and the things in it. It tests you as a parent beyond what anyone not dealing with it can imagine. People have to be adults and exhibit some self-control in this circumstance or any circumstance they can not handle emotionally. If I get to that point that I can not take it anymore, I usually seclude myself, cool down, and then attend to my son. I guess I'm saying I understand how some folks get to this place emotionally where they can't deal with it anymore, I don't know how they can look at their child though and get violent with them.
You are right on about instincts. How does one not step in when the other parent is out of control and protect their child?
81 posted on 03/24/2004 2:21:47 PM PST by cupcakes
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To: Okies love Dubya 2
BTW, I should add my son is 4, he isn't a baby.
82 posted on 03/24/2004 2:22:37 PM PST by cupcakes
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To: Warhammer
Hey there, we have 2 that are 6 yrs old and younger and are expecting our 3rd in May also:-)
83 posted on 03/24/2004 2:23:36 PM PST by cupcakes
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To: ThinkingMan
Agree with you. All babies get cranky when they are uncomfortable whether it be ear infections, shots, teething, too hot/cold. They only seek comfort and relief from that stuff.
84 posted on 03/24/2004 2:26:24 PM PST by cupcakes
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To: mickey mouse
OH it is all about your friend right? There is a dead baby here and like it or not, your friends action or inaction helped seal that baby's fate. I would hope at least if this is just a culmination of bad decisions by a young person, she will start making better judgements--first starting with birth control, next with staying away from losers no matter how much they appeal to her, and finally by getting an education. I'm sure you are of course encouraging her towards becoming more responsible right so this never happens again? Sometimes folks need to hear the things they don't want to hear from their friends. Your friend would do much better without you defending and excusing her poor choices and with you or any other one of her friends laying it out on the line for her. I'm sorry she lost a child, but she needs to be damn sure this never happens again and you all need to be the flame under her arse to help her to that end and not enablers.
85 posted on 03/24/2004 2:38:41 PM PST by cupcakes
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To: mickey mouse
BTW, just because your friend is nice or had a tough childhood does not mean she is not responsible for her bad decisions. It also is not an excuse for making bad decisions. I know that is what they feed young people like you today that you aren't responsible for yourselves, but that is a load of crap. YOu can overcome bad circumstances. Please, if you want to help your friend, tell her she can overcome her circumstances and do things differently. Tell her she doesn't have to settle for scumbags who say they love her. Tell her she doesn't have to settle for men who beat babies up.
86 posted on 03/24/2004 2:41:15 PM PST by cupcakes
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To: ~Kim4VRWC's~
Argh, I missed it too. I still stand by what I told Mickey Mouse though.
87 posted on 03/24/2004 2:43:58 PM PST by cupcakes
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To: T Minus Four
Poor little guy:-(
88 posted on 03/24/2004 2:44:59 PM PST by cupcakes
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To: cupcakes
I know, so sweet and little!
89 posted on 03/24/2004 2:51:18 PM PST by T Minus Four
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To: Siouxz
You've been lucky. Having known hundreds of social workers, I can count on two fingers those who had common sense. And they were't much better than the ones who didn't.
90 posted on 03/24/2004 4:30:27 PM PST by Cathryn Crawford (¿Podemos ahora sonreír?)
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To: Windsong
Mr. My son will be two real soon. And we now have a six week old girl.
91 posted on 03/26/2004 6:30:54 AM PST by TomHarkinIsNotFromIowa (Foe Hammer!)
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To: ~Kim4VRWC's~
What is worse is having to come back a year later to re-read the article because someone is DEFENDING the "adults" in this situation.
92 posted on 03/26/2004 6:45:47 AM PST by ThinkingMan
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To: Tijeras_Slim
LOL!!
93 posted on 03/26/2004 12:43:03 PM PST by stands2reason ( During the cola wars, France was occupied by Pepsi for six months.)
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To: TomHarkinIsNotFromIowa
Mr. My son will be two real soon.

You call your son "Mr."?

;-)

94 posted on 03/26/2004 12:47:53 PM PST by stands2reason ( During the cola wars, France was occupied by Pepsi for six months.)
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To: stands2reason
Yep, you can tell who runs my house.
95 posted on 03/26/2004 1:21:07 PM PST by TomHarkinIsNotFromIowa (Foe Hammer!)
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Comment #96 Removed by Moderator


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