SBS: Connecticut: Kyle Robinson death ruled homicide

Monica Szakacsand Anne M. Amato,

, July 27, 2011

 

ANSONIA -- The Child Fatality Review Panel met Wednesday to discuss the death of 5-month-old Kyle Robinson who died of blunt force head trauma on June 12, two days after being admitted to Yale-New Haven Hospital.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide. Jeanne Milstein, child advocate and chairwoman of the review panel, said they have launched a preliminary investigation.

"After today we (CFRP) have serious concerns about this case," Milstein said during a phone interview.

The next step the panel will take is reviewing every document that may pertain and help the development of the investigation for the case. The state of Connecticut has established CFRP to review unexplained or unexpected circumstances of the death of any child under the age of 18 who has received services from a state department or agency addressing child welfare, social or human services or juvenile justice. Although the review panel is a separate entity, its day-to-day operations are coordinated through the Office of the Child Advocate.

CFRP reviewed Robinson's death because of the family's prior involvement with the Department of Children and Families, according to Milstein.

The infant, was in the care of his mother's boyfriend at the time of the incident, according to Lt. Andrew Cota, police spokesman. No arrests have been made, but Cota said the boyfriend is the focus of the investigation since he was the only adult there at the time.

The boyfriend, whose name has not been released, has retained an attorney.

Police responded to the second-floor apartment on Hubbell Avenue June 10, along with medical personnel, for a report of a child in distress who was unresponsive. Cota said there was no indication at that time that anything criminal had taken place.

"There was no outside indication of any trauma, no blood," he said.

Police got reports from the hospital over that weekend about the baby's condition and they realized "the severe injury was not accidentally inflicted," Cota said, and police are considering the death "a case of shaken baby syndrome."

He said two siblings, ages 2 and 5, were also at home and in the boyfriend's care, but neither was injured

"This will be a very thorough and exhausting investigation," she said.
: http://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Panel-joins-police-in-probing-child-s-death-1615210.php#ixzz1ck87xyJc

SBS: Connecticutt: DeCarvalho and Leone: Accused Baby Assaulters Arraigned, Plead Not Guilty

Harold F. Cobin | | February 3, 2011 The former foster parents of four children were arraigned in state Superior Court in Norwalk Thursday, accused of assaulting a baby in their care, resulting in a fractured skull and bruising and hemorrhaging of his brain.
Following an investigation, on Jan. 19 Westport Police charged Debbie C. DeCarvalho, 42, of 1040 Post Rd. East, with five counts of risk of injury to child and one count of first-degree assault; and Mario Leone Jr., 38, of the same address, with one count each of risk of injury to a child and first-degree assault.
Both charges are felonies.
Appearing before Judge Bruce Hudock, they pleaded not guilty and had their cases continued to Feb. 25.
Last July 2, an emergency department supervisor at Norwalk Hospital contacted Westport Police reporting a woman was there with an infant she said had a “seizure like episode,” and upon examination, a physician found had “bleeding on the brain” and a possible skull fracture.
In a sworn affidavit to obtain arrest warrants for DeCarvalho and Leone, Det. Sereniti Dobson said the examining physician, Dr. Berger, said the infant had no external bruising or lacerations, but had injuries “indicative” of shaken baby syndrome.
Dobson says DeCarvalho told her she had cared for the child for approximately three weeks and when she was changing him on the changing table, “his arms tightened up; then became flaccid and he showed signs that he was having trouble breathing.”
Dobson said she went to the foster parents’ home and spoke with Leone, who said DeCarvalho is the sole caretaker of the children and the baby had not been in anyone else’s care.
During an interview at Westport Police headquarters, Dobson alleges, DeCarvalho told her the baby did not fall or hit his head.
DeCarvalho allegedly stated she is the sole caretaker of the four children, and that she runs a dog grooming business in her home and uses baby monitors to watch what the children are doing while she is working.
“(DeCarvalho) states she walks upstairs to check on them every hour or so,” Dobson says in her affidavit, and “if the children need anything they know that they can pick up the monitor and hit the intercom button.”
Dobson says that during an interview with Leone, he said he believed something “freaky” must have happened to cause the baby’s injuries, and suggested one of the other children in their care “must have done something.”
“Leone expressed that the (redacted) old had always been jealous of the baby,” Dobson says.
She says when she asked Leone if the baby had accidently fallen, he told her he had fallen off the coach “a while ago.”
“Leon stated DeCarvalho picked him back up and put him back on the coach,” Dobson says.
Dobson says the baby was discharged from the Westchester Medical Center in New York last July 12 diagnosed with brain injuries “consistent with a traumatic event consisting of shaking impact,” and a right-sided, non-depressed skull fracture.
DeCarvalho was released after posting combined $50,000 cash bonds, and Leone was released after posting a $25,000 cash bond.
The state’s Department of Children and Family Services removed the couple’s other three foster children from their home.
http://westport.patch.com/articles/accused-baby-assaulters-arraigned-plead-not-guilty

SBS: Connecticutt: Joshua Murray

A 22-year-old former Jewett City man was arraigned Friday in Norwich Superior Court to face charges he caused serious injuries to his girlfriend’s 2-month-old son.
 Aaron Flaum/ NorwichBulletin.com

Joshua A. Murray,  was arrested Wednesday after an investigation into a Jan. 9 incident in which a baby was rushed to The William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich from a residence where Murray and the baby’s mother were living, police said.
The baby boy was unconscious and unresponsive, police said, and an initial assessment at Backus showed he had sustained a head injury, or Shaken Baby Syndrome. He was flown to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford where further examination revealed the child had sustained head trauma and doctors found two hemorrhages on his brain, one old and one new, according to police reports.
On the night of the child’s hospitalization, Murray told police the baby would not sleep and he was bouncing the child on his knee when it pooped and went limp.
In later interviews, Murray told police that on at least two occasions when the baby was being fussy and would not fall asleep, he bounced the baby off his chest, holding the child under the armpits and bouncing him up and down with the baby’s forehead striking his chest, police reports show.
Murray told police he never intentionally hurt the child.
“Murray concluded his statement by saying that he is very sorry that the victim is in the hospital. Murray stated that he wished he knew he was hurting the victim,” according to the police report.
Rebecca Nixie, a registered nurse who is a parent educator and teaches infant CPR and newborn infant care at The William W. Backus Hospital, said incidents of Shaken Baby Syndrome occur “more frequently then we think it does.”
She recalled one month in which three different infants were brought in for treatment. She said education for new parents is offered to all families in the hospital’s birthing center.
“We go over what Shaken Baby Syndrome is, the signs and symptoms and how they can prepare if they have a baby that is very fussy,” Nixie said. 
Shaken Baby Syndrome occurs when a baby is violently shaken by the shoulders, arms or legs. It can result from shaking alone or from impact. The resulting whiplash effect can cause bleeding within the brain or the eyes, because the baby has undeveloped neck muscles.
“It’s not just bouncing the baby on the knee gently,” Nixie said. “This is forceful shaking. It’s the movement of the baby’s head back and forth that can cause damage.”
Nixie said a parent or caregiver may shake a baby out of anger or frustration, often because the baby won’t stop crying.
“I think they do it not knowing they’re hurting the baby,” she said. “Babies are going to cry. That’s the only method of communication they have.”
Shaken Baby Syndrome is the leading cause of child abuse deaths in the United States and newborns up to 4 months old are at greatest risk of injury from shaking, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Nancy Gentes, executive director at Madonna Place in Norwich, said her organization also offers a variety of programs for parents and caregivers to try and prevent situations such as this. Statistics, she said, show that many of these cases of abuse are caused by someone other than the biological parent.
“I’m sad to hear about yet another case like this,” Gentes said. “I hope the child is OK.”
Murray is charged with three felony counts — first-degree assault and two counts of risk of injury to a minor.
He posted a $100,000 bond before Friday’s court appearance.
Acting on recommendations of the court’s family relations division, Judge Hunchu Kwak ordered a no contact order, barring Murray from any contact with the baby.
The case was continued to Feb. 25, allowing Murray time to find an attorney. The baby is in stable condition in the care of the Department of Children and Families, police said.
http://www.norwichbulletin.com/news/crime/x1145630842/Suspect-Baby-was-injured-by-accident

SBS: Connecticutt: Jayden Cruz

 January 18, 2011
WATERBURY -- The condition of a 5-month-old boy who police say was violently shaken by his father has improved from critical to fair condition, a spokesman with the Connecticut Children's Medical Center said Monday.
Jayden Cruz was flown to the Hartford hospital late last month after doctors at Waterbury Hospital suspected the boy was the victim of shaken-baby syndrome.
He remained in critical condition for at least a week. Although his condition has improved, he still remains hospitalized after more than 20 days in medical care.
Shaken-baby syndrome, according to the National Institutes of Health, can lead to permanent brain damage or even death. So far, Jayden's condition has not changed since he was admitted to the center.
http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2011/01/18/news/local/doc4d35a17f4b43d313951439.txt

SBS: Connecticutt: Luis Colon

Saturday, January 1, 2011 9:09 AM EST

WATERBURY [Dash] A 5-month-old boy was still listed in critical condition Friday after police say his mother's boyfriend violently shook him because he wouldn't stop crying earlier this week.

Jayden Cruz was flown to Connecticut Children's Medical Center in Hartford early Monday morning after doctors at Waterbury Hospital suspected the boy was the victim of shaken-baby syndrome.

Police arrested Luis Colon, 21, of 376 Berkeley Ave., after police say he admitted to shaking the boy on Sunday evening. Colon isn't the boy's father, but was living with his mother.
http://www.rep-am.com/news/local/doc4d1eb519f4013019275421.txt

SBS: CONNECTICUTT: Lus Colon

Wednesday, December 29, 2010
BY JONATHAN SHUGARTS REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN

Luis Colon

WATERBURY -- Five-month-old Jayden Cruz was still listed in critical condition Tuesday, one night after he was airlifted to a Hartford hospital for treatment of injuries police police say he suffered when he was violently shaken by a 21-year-old man who lived with his mother.

Luis Colon, the man who police say assaulted the baby, told a detective he had rocked the baby "hard" when he was a newborn and didn't know how he should hold a baby because he didn't have children of his own.

Colon's statement was included in an arrest warrant released Tuesday after Colon was arraigned on first-degree assault and risk of injury charges in Waterbury Superior Court. Judge Richard Damiani kept Colon's bond at $500,000, citing the brain injury to the child.

Jayden was taken to Waterbury Hospital on Sunday for treatment of seizures after someone in his mother's Berkeley Avenue basement apartment called 911. Doctors at the hospital suspected the boy was the victim of shaken-baby syndrome.
http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2010/12/29/news/local/529817.txt