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Author Topic: Mom's Boyfriend Charged in Death of 4 yo Kiara Martinez of Houston, TX  (Read 2119 times)
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« on: February 16, 2010, 05:24:30 PM »

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/home/100215_4_yr_old_dies_moms_boyfriend_charged
Mother's Boyfriend Charged in 4-Year-Old Child's Death
(Video Available)

Jose Herrera-Gomez, known also as Elias Herrera | Harris County Sheriff's Office photo

Updated: Tuesday, 16 Feb 2010, 1:10 PM CST
Published : Tuesday, 16 Feb 2010, 6:07 AM CST

SALLY MACDONALD

HOUSTON - A four-year-old Houston girl is dead. Houston Police say her mother's boyfriend caused it, and that the couple's story doesn't match up with the evidence. Elias Herrera, 23, is charged with injury to a child causing serious bodily injury.

According to Child Protective Services, Herrera moved in with his girlfriend and her two small children nine months ago. They lived at a poverty stricken apartment complex on Pitner Road in northwest Houston.

CPS spokeswoman Estella Olguin says Herrera took care of the four-year-old girl and her six-year-old brother while their mother worked.

"Just because someone is available, readily available or willing to watch your children, shouldn't be your only criteria," said Olguin.

Olguin says the mother returned home from work around 11:00 P.M. Saturday. The mom told caseworkers her daughter, Kiara Martinez, complained her stomach hurt. Two hours later she brought Kiara to a hospital. Olguin says doctors found her unresponsive and without a pulse. The little girl was pronounced dead at 2:30 A.M.. On Monday, the Harris County Medical Examiner's Office completed an autopsy. Olguin says the cause of death is blunt force trauma. She says Herrera and the child's mother had a different explanation for the girl's injuries.

"Their story is she had a stomach ache and they don't know why. They say the bruises she had on her body were just as a result of child play," said Olguin.

It is the second child in less than a week to die or be seriously hurt, allegedly at the hands of a caretaker. On Friday Jordan Harris, 22, admitted beating his girlfriend's 11-month-old brother.

"It's really easy to say, 'Why is mom not doing enough or choosing a lousy boyfriend,' when ultimately the response of abuse is on the guy who did it," said Sonia Corrales, Houston Area Women's Center.

Corrales says these cases illustrate the gaps in services our community faces.

"One of those gaps happens to be safe and affordable child care," said Corrales.

Olguin says Kiara apparently wasn't kept safe, so the agency has removed her six-year-old brother from the home and taken temporary custody of him.

Olguin says he has indicated he witnessed the alleged abuse. CPS visited the family's home once before but not in response to allegations of abuse. Herrera has no prior criminal history. Olguin says he moved to the United States from El Salvador in 2004.
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