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Who protects the poor children? CPS is failing. . .:-( Ugh After a long day, and even longer week, I'm ready to post something of an entry. Again. Be warned, tho, it's not cheerful. I was reading the newspaper today, only to be greeted by some very. . .er, unpleasant articles. Death of Mesa boy ruled homicide Karina Bland The Arizona Republic Aug. 21, 2003 12:00 AM A 2-year-old Mesa boy died as the result of a homicide, the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office ruled Wednesday. Charles Joseph Young, his body covered in bruises, died Sunday in Mesa. His family had been under Child Protective Services' scrutiny for more than a decade, sources said. Mesa police are investigating, but no arrests had been made Wednesday. The cause of death of the toddler, known as C.J., was listed as multiple injuries. Along with that gruesome news, friends of the family were told Wednesday that one of C.J.'s brothers, a 10-year-old happily living in a Mesa children's home, will be placed today in the custody of Child Protective Services. The boys' mother, Danielle Young, 34, of Mesa, has five children, all of them boys. Sources said CPS had investigated as many as eight substantiated reports of neglect, sexual and physical abuse. An investigation was ongoing at the time of C.J.'s death, and the other three brothers are in CPS custody. Earlier this year, Young had signed a power of attorney giving her 10-year-old to the care of Shari Smith, a sign-language interpreter from Scottsdale, and her husband, Steve. Young, who is hearing-impaired, told Shari Smith that she could not control the boy's violent outbursts. Shari Smith said the boy lived with them for three months and begged to be adopted: "He just wanted a family." His mother would not allow it, but she did agree to Smith's suggestion to place the child at Sunshine Acres, a respected group home, in June. The home is licensed by the state and takes mostly private placements. It does not have a contract with CPS. The boy has done well there and is happily settled, said Smith, who sees him regularly. It is his first stable home, she said. "I can't believe CPS wants to take him now," she said. CPS had plenty of chances to help this boy and his brothers, Smith said, adding that she made as many as 15 reports to CPS in the past eight years. She met the Young children at church where, she said, they were always hungry and dirty. Given food, they would gorge themselves. CPS intervened on several occasions, Smith said, and the family would move as many as a dozen times and once even left the state. It returned last fall. Officials at Sunshine Acres want to keep the boy and have offered to take his brothers at no cost. CPS officials have not commented on the case because of confidentiality laws. CPS records of dead children become public if the death resulted from abuse or neglect. The Arizona Republic has requested those records. Gov. Janet Napolitano has asked CPS for a report on the case. At about 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, paramedics were called to an apartment at North Country Club Drive in Mesa where the toddler lived with his mother, her boyfriend and three brothers. C.J. was not breathing. His body was cold, and he was bruised across his eyes, ears, legs and stomach. His sheets were covered in vomit. CPS reports on his family date back to 1992: malnutrition, physical and sexual abuse, neglect. The most recent report in July was about a 4-year-old who had bruising on his face. C.J. was not the subject of any of the CPS reports. Tempe police are looking for the children's father, William Young, 33, in connection with a 2002 molestation case that has been forwarded to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office. Young's boyfriend, Todd Stockon, 32, also is hearing- impaired. None of the children has a hearing problem. Young and Stockon have declined requests for interviews. Traci Mangrum of Mesa, who has known the children's mother for 15 years, said she called CPS twice about the children. She said they were not fed and that the one-bedroom apartment was cramped. She said Young paid little attention to the boys and often sent them to stay with friends so she could be alone with her boyfriend. "I am so glad that the boys are in custody of the CPS. Now I know they all are safe and sound," Mangrum said. "No child deserves this." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ And- Man gets 30 years in rape of girl Jim Walsh The Arizona Republic Aug. 21, 2003 12:00 AM A Gilbert man avoided a potential life sentence by pleading guilty Wednesday to reduced charges in the brutal rape of a 12-year-old girl, abducted off a quiet street in February while walking to school. Albert Stephen Farnsworth, 21, will be sentenced to 30 years in prison on Sept. 19 after pleading guilty to two counts of child molestation and two counts of attempted sexual contact with a minor. Farnsworth drew a longer sentence than co-defendant William Dee Porter, 24, who pleaded guilty Monday to the same charges and faces 24 to 29 years in prison and lifetime probation when he is sentenced Oct. 31 by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge James Keppel. "This defendant is the one who actually kidnapped her off the street," Deputy County Attorney Suzanne Wilson said, referring to Farnsworth. Defense attorneys said they were under a deadline to accept the deal before the victim returned to school. By avoiding a trial, the girl was spared from testifying. Farnsworth faced four life sentences if convicted on initial sexual conduct with a minor charges, said Jim Martin, his defense attorney. "He would have never gotten out," Martin said. "Even though the time is long, the hope of getting out is an important factor in enduring the hardships of prison." Wilson said Porter was driving a black pickup truck when Farnsworth jumped out and grabbed the victim. They covered her face with a shirt and took her to a guest house owned by Porter's family, where both men sexually assaulted the girl. Farnsworth confessed to Gilbert police, Wilson said, and DNA evidence further implicated him. Martin, the defense attorney, said Farnsworth and Porter had been up all night, using methamphetamines. Both defendants pleaded guilty before Keppel ruled on Martin's motion challenging the legality of a search during which police seized evidence. Farnsworth is the nephew of state Rep. Eddie Farnsworth, R-Gilbert. Martin said his client has a history of drug problems but had completed probation on a trespassing conviction. "They're just a wonderful family. They go to see him and talk to him," Martin said. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ And, as if that's not enough- Tempe mother set to get 10 years for baby's death Patricia Biggs The Arizona Republic Aug. 21, 2003 12:00 AM A Tempe woman is scheduled to be sentenced today to 10 years in prison for failing to get medical help before her 5-month-old son died. Michelle Heath, 27, pleaded guilty to two charges of child abuse, one designated a dangerous crime against children, in the May 4, 1998, death of Cody Sojka. Alan Sojka Jr., 29, the boy's father, will stand trial Jan. 12 in Maricopa County Superior Court on charges of first-degree murder and child abuse. County Attorney Rick Romley will ask for the death penalty in that case. Cody died in his crib on a makeshift mattress of carpet and foam at his home, in the 400 block of West Baseline Road. The boy had suffered rib fractures, bruises on his face and back, and injuries to his fingers and toes. By the time his father called 911 for medical attention, the boy's body had rigor mortis, according to a Tempe police report. According to the police report, Alan said the bruises on Cody's face were "caused by him kissing Cody while playing," and the bruises to his back "were caused by Cody falling backwards in the tub several days ago." An autopsy determined that Cody died of "acute respiratory failure due to blunt force head injury." His parents were arrested May 7, 2002, and charged with first-degree murder and several counts of child abuse. The investigation took four years because of the complexity of the evidence and the need for experts in trauma cases, Tempe police Detective Tom Magazzeni said. "We were able to show that, in fact, the infant died due to trauma at the hands of his parents," Magazzeni said. According to court records, family members had noticed bruises on the boy in the two months before his death, but those bruises were explained as accidents by Alan Sojka. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I think that's all I can take right now. I'll be back soon. Joy
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