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Death of Pasadena Infant Raises Questions about CPS and Court Oversight

Posted byHoumanitarian

Video: KTRK 13 News

Erin Mulvaney, Houston Chronicle
A 10-month-old boy died in a hospital Wednesday with severe burns covering half his body, a little more than two weeks after the Pasadena family’s last visit from a Child Protective Services case worker.

Pasadena police and CPS are investigating the baby’s death after he was taken to the hospital by his parents Wednesday afternoon, appearing to be burned by scalding water. The child died at Bayshore Medical Center that afternoon, said Vance Mitchell, Pasadena Police Department spokesman.

The family has refused to speak with investigators, and the cause of the boy’s death is pending autopsy results from the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.

On Thursday, the family could not be reached for comment.

[…] CPS spokeswoman Estella Olguin said this family and child have been involved in an investigation previously.

On June 13, 2012, officials received a report of alleged abuse when the then-1-month-old baby had a fractured leg. A week later, the child was placed with relatives until a court ruled on Dec. 18 that the child should be returned to his parents. CPS continued to monitor the case and had routine house visits as recently as March 12 of this year. The child was living with his parents and grandparents when he died.

The case worker saw the child that day and did not see any injuries or signs of abuse or neglect.

On Wednesday, hospital officials alerted police when they saw the child’s severe burns, which were on the lower part of his body, just below the waist and all the way down. Around 3 p.m., he died at the hospital.
(Read more of this story at Chron.com)

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