GUILTY CA - Classic (Orson West, 3) & Cincere (Orrin West, 4), still missing, Calif. City, *Mistrial on counts 4 & 5)* 21 Dec 2020 #8

[Knox]

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I think that's related to fostering, not adoption, JMO.

I heard Torres Stallings ask that witness if there is anything put into a case file post-adoption. Initally he said he didn't know, but later said if anything, perhaps a handwritten note.

 

[PommyMommy]

I have to take a break if anyone can post the tweets from KGET 17 news, it would be appreciated.

I am still listening to the trial and maybe Pommy or anyone else can update the tweets later if they are able.

Someone needs to teach me to cut and paste the KGET17 tweets from the trial. I have been trying to do it by hand.
I did the best I could but might be typos or errors.

I think I am the only one listening to this trial atm with the other 2 trials also going on.

Cuffem, thank you so much for all the updates! I'll start right where you left off after the afternoon break. MOO

 

[cuffem]

I think that's related to fostering, not adoption, JMO.

I heard Torres Stallings ask that witness if there is anything put into a case file post-adoption. Initally he said he didn't know, but later said if anything, perhaps a handwritten note.

Sorry! I did not catch that. I am a bit confused with the ins and outs of fostering and adopting.
I will try to be more careful when commenting.

 

[cuffem]

Cuffem, thank you so much for all the updates! I'll start right where you left off after the afternoon break. MOO

Thanks! Pommy, there was not much after that but the Bakersfield Apt. Manager and the Crime lab guy and that was somewhat brief.

 

[Knox]

Sorry! I did not catch that. I am a bit confused with the ins and outs of fostering and adopting.

It's really difficult to follow with only sound!! I wonder if the jurors are growing weary of all the video and recordings?
Thanks for keeping us up to speed today.

 

[PommyMommy]

Afternoon Testimony
DAY 10 - April 18, 2023
https://twitter.com/KGETnews

(Continuation of testimony from Clifton Taylor, a program specialist of the Kern County Department of Human Services)

Court is back in session. A judge or juvenile court would make a decision that a child is now free to be adopted. #WestsTrial
3:19 PM · Apr 18, 2023

From the time parental rights are terminated to a completed adoption takes a year to 18 months, Taylor said. #WestsTrial

Judge Charles R. Brehmer told the jury Taylor did nothing wrong when he cited certain codes before giving his testimony, and that the questioning of him won't go into areas he's not allowed to speak about due to confidentiality issues. #WestsTrial

Children are questioned if they would like to continue living in the foster home before they're adopted, if they enjoy living there. #WestsTrial

There's not a specific medical exam, but they have their annual exam completed to see if there are any developmental needs the child has, Taylor said. #WestsTrial

There are times when two families are competing to adopt the same child, Taylor said, but generally the foster home where the child was placed will have the advantage. #WestsTrial

A judge is present for the adoption to make it legal as it's a court proceeding, Taylor said. After adoption, there is "minimal" contact with the child and DHS. They're not actively monitored after that time, he said. #WestsTrial

There is no verification process Taylor is aware of to determine whether the stipend the adoptive parents get for the child is the sole source of income. #WestsTrial

Every 2 years they must fill out paperwork to keep getting the stipend, Taylor said. #WestsTrial

The renewal of the stipend doesn't include a home visit. #WestsTrial

Generally, once an adoption is completed you can't turn the child back in to the state if there are issues, Taylor said. There are counseling services they can link the family to, he said. #WestsTrial

If CPS removes the child from the home, the adoptive family would be responsible for child support, Taylor said. #WestsTrial

Asked about the Jamison Center, Taylor said it's a temporary shelter in Kern County for children. They try not to have them there for more than a few days. #WestsTrial

The children taken in a criminal investigation would be placed in an emergency foster home or, briefly, in the Jamison Center, Taylor said. #WestsTrial

A judge would make an order to remove children from the home and what visitation the parents would have, Taylor said. #WestsTrial

 

[PommyMommy]

Afternoon Testimony
DAY 10 - April 18, 2023
https://twitter.com/KGETnews

(Cross-examination of Clifton Taylor, a program specialist of the Kern County Department of Human Services)

Torres Stallings has begun cross-examination. #WestsTrial

Taylor said he's not aware of how many children in the foster system are Black, Hispnanic or white. He doesn't know the percentage of children who are Black or Hispanic who are reunited with their families. #WestsTrial

Across the board it's about 50 percent, he said. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings is going over the process when there is a referral to CPS. She asked how much time the parent has until a child is removed from their home. Taylor said once the warrant is signed they do it immediately, there is no time frame. #WestsTrial

Recommendations to the judge will involve multiple social workers, Taylor said. The court social worker gets info from other social workers who investigate the referral. The judge then makes a determination. #WestsTrial

When a child is removed from a home, relatives would be considered for placement of the child. For example, if a boyfriend or husband was involved in an incident, the birth mother might be considered if she lived in another residence and had minimal contact with him. #WestsTrial

Taylor testified he has been to the Jamison Center 10 to 20 times. Under questioning by Torres Stallings, he said younger children are placed out of the center immediately, within hours. He said he believes the baseline for emergency foster care is 4 and under. #WestsTrial

Taylor said he's unaware of rapes and robberies at the Jamison Center. He is aware of assaults that occur there. #WestsTrial

A sidebar has been called following an objection by Smith. #WestsTrial

Attorneys and judge are back. #WestsTrial

In a 14-day notice, a foster family can write something saying they can no longer have the child in their care. Taylor said the child "may or may not" be made aware of the reason why the family wants them to move. #WestsTrial

Once the notice is filed, the parents, child and DHS and birth parents (if still involved) come together to discuss the issues and see what's best for the child, Taylor said. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings asked what recourse the foster family has if they don't get along with the social worker assigned to them. Taylor said they could talk with a supervisor to work out issues, or file a formal complaint. #WestsTrial

He said it would be unusual to have another social worker assigned. #WestsTrial

Part of the foster parent process requires looking for a criminal background, as well as checking them in a system called CACI (Child Abuse Central Index) to see if there is a substantiated allegation of child abuse against them any state. #WestsTrial

Asked if he encounters families who say an adoption isn't working out, Taylor said yes. #WestsTrial

Taylor said DHS contracts with an agency for post-adoption services, they would no longer be directly involved. The family's point of contact would probably be Kern County adoptions, and they would refer the family to the agency. #WestsTrial

Taylor testified he doesn't know if those requests by adoptive parents would be noted somewhere. #WestsTrial

The amount given to adoptive parents for a child changes each year, the rates go up, Taylor said. Children with a disability could get a "special care increment," he said. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings asked if children with those types of issues aren't as readily adopted. Taylor testified children with "more issues" are less likely to be adopted. Torres Stallings ended questioning. #WestsTrial

Taylor has been excused. #WestsTrial

 

[cuffem]

It's really difficult to follow with only sound!! I wonder if the jurors are growing weary of all the video and recordings?
Thanks for keeping us up to speed today.

Especially when they have difficulty playing the videos which is most of the time.

 

[PommyMommy]

Afternoon Testimony
DAY 10 - April 18, 2023
https://twitter.com/KGETnews

Rosa Espinoza has been called to the stand. She is a manager of Casa Loma Apartments on Lotus Lane. #WestsTrial

There are 8 apartments in each of the 14 buildings, she said. #WestsTrial

Espinoza testified Maria Martinez, Jacqueline West, lived in one of the apartments in 2020. She said she is aware Trezell and Jacqueline West had lived in one of the apartments. #WestsTrial

The Wests moved out of the apartment on Sept. 24, 2020, Espinoza said. #WestsTrial

Smith is displaying photos of the exterior of the apartment complex. #WestsTrial

Espinoz identified a trash enclosure that has two bins inside it. #WestsTrial

After Trezell and Jacqueline West moved the apartment was repainted and the carpet changed, she said. There were no complaints from other tenants, she said. #WestsTrial

Smith ended his questioning and Torres Stallings has begun cross-examination. #WestsTrial

The Wests made a maintenance request to fix the AC in the apartment sometime in September of 2018, Espinoza said. #WestsTrial

Espinoza testified she can't recall if they had maintenance requests in 2020 other than a carbon monoxide issue. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings ended her questioning. Espinoza has been excused. #WestsTrial

 

[PommyMommy]

Afternoon Testimony
DAY 10 - April 18, 2023
https://twitter.com/KGETnews

Alfredo Bayaca has been called to the stand. He works at the Kern Regional Crime Lab. #WestsTrial

Bayaca said he takes photos and documents crime scenes. #WestsTrial

He is a "criminalist" -- a scientist who uses scientific techniques to test evidence brought to them by law enforcement. #WestsTrial

Bayaca testified they can go to a crime scene or process items -- such as a vehicle -- brought to the crime lab. They have vehicle exam bays. #WestsTrial

On Dec. 23, 2020, Cal City requested the Wests' van be examined at the crime lab, Bayaca said. #WestsTrial

Court is in recess until 9 a.m. tomorrow. #WestsTrial

 

[cuffem]

Did anyone catch the questioning by Stallings about if there were rapes and robberies at the Jamison Center and then Smith objected? Not sure where she was going with that but myself and maybe the jury might be getting tired of her attitude when cross examining witnesses on the stand. Much different than the other defense attorney Nasser.

 

[cuffem]

Afternoon Testimony
DAY 10 - April 18, 2023
https://twitter.com/KGETnews

(Continuation of testimony from Clifton Taylor, a program specialist of the Kern County Department of Human Services)

Court is back in session. A judge or juvenile court would make a decision that a child is now free to be adopted. #WestsTrial
3:19 PM · Apr 18, 2023

From the time parental rights are terminated to a completed adoption takes a year to 18 months, Taylor said. #WestsTrial

Judge Charles R. Brehmer told the jury Taylor did nothing wrong when he cited certain codes before giving his testimony, and that the questioning of him won't go into areas he's not allowed to speak about due to confidentiality issues. #WestsTrial

Children are questioned if they would like to continue living in the foster home before they're adopted, if they enjoy living there. #WestsTrial

There's not a specific medical exam, but they have their annual exam completed to see if there are any developmental needs the child has, Taylor said. #WestsTrial

There are times when two families are competing to adopt the same child, Taylor said, but generally the foster home where the child was placed will have the advantage. #WestsTrial

A judge is present for the adoption to make it legal as it's a court proceeding, Taylor said. After adoption, there is "minimal" contact with the child and DHS. They're not actively monitored after that time, he said. #WestsTrial

There is no verification process Taylor is aware of to determine whether the stipend the adoptive parents get for the child is the sole source of income. #WestsTrial

Every 2 years they must fill out paperwork to keep getting the stipend, Taylor said. #WestsTrial

The renewal of the stipend doesn't include a home visit. #WestsTrial

Generally, once an adoption is completed you can't turn the child back in to the state if there are issues, Taylor said. There are counseling services they can link the family to, he said. #WestsTrial

If CPS removes the child from the home, the adoptive family would be responsible for child support, Taylor said. #WestsTrial

Asked about the Jamison Center, Taylor said it's a temporary shelter in Kern County for children. They try not to have them there for more than a few days. #WestsTrial

The children taken in a criminal investigation would be placed in an emergency foster home or, briefly, in the Jamison Center, Taylor said. #WestsTrial

A judge would make an order to remove children from the home and what visitation the parents would have, Taylor said. #WestsTrial

I see a tweet here I missed. After adoption there is minimal contact with the child and DHS. They are not monitored at this time.

This is surprising to me and probably why we have so many abuse and death investigations after adopting. With heavy caseloads already I understand how DHS can not continue to monitor the families unless an issue comes up.

 

[Knox]

Afternoon Testimony
DAY 10 - April 18, 2023
https://twitter.com/KGETnews

Rosa Espinoza has been called to the stand. She is a manager of Casa Loma Apartments on Lotus Lane. #WestsTrial

There are 8 apartments in each of the 14 buildings, she said. #WestsTrial

Espinoza testified Maria Martinez, Jacqueline West, lived in one of the apartments in 2020. She said she is aware Trezell and Jacqueline West had lived in one of the apartments. #WestsTrial

The Wests moved out of the apartment on Sept. 24, 2020, Espinoza said. #WestsTrial

Smith is displaying photos of the exterior of the apartment complex. #WestsTrial

Espinoz identified a trash enclosure that has two bins inside it. #WestsTrial

After Trezell and Jacqueline West moved the apartment was repainted and the carpet changed, she said. There were no complaints from other tenants, she said. #WestsTrial

Smith ended his questioning and Torres Stallings has begun cross-examination. #WestsTrial

The Wests made a maintenance request to fix the AC in the apartment sometime in September of 2018, Espinoza said. #WestsTrial

Espinoza testified she can't recall if they had maintenance requests in 2020 other than a carbon monoxide issue. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings ended her questioning. Espinoza has been excused. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings - so what was the point of asking about repair requests?

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 18, 2023

West Trial resumes for 10th day

The trial of Jaqueline and Trezell West, the California City couple accused of murdering their two adopted sons Orrin and Orson West, continued for its 10th day on Tues, April 18.

www.turnto23.com

The day began with Detective Paul Hernandez of the Bakersfield Police Department on the stand. Hernandez examined the surveillance video footage taken from a residence across the street from the Wests' home that was used as evidence in the case. When asked if he had viewed the footage, Hernandez answered "Once or twice."

During cross-examination, Alekxia Torres-Stallings, Jaqueline's defense attorney, pointed out multiple vehicles driving around the residence on the day the boys went missing, contradictory to some previous testimonies. She also pointed out lights inside and outside of the West residence turning on and off.

When asked about the vehicles, Hernandez testified that he did not document any of them in his report, even referring to the report while on the stand to be sure. Hernandez also did not note the lights and said he did not recall if he had seen the lights at the time.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

Torres Stallings - so what was the point of asking about repair requests?

I don't know. Maybe pointing out that there weren't any damages - like they didn't remove the carpet, or there wasn't any holes in the walls, that kind of stuff? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ MOO

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 18, 2023

Cal City boys not seen in footage taken days before reported missing: detective

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Jurors were shown surveillance footage Tuesday in which murder suspects Trezell and Jacqueline West visited multiple Bakersfield locations on Dec. 19, 2020, after…

www.kget.com

Jurors were shown surveillance footage Tuesday in which murder suspects Trezell and Jacqueline West visited multiple Bakersfield locations on Dec. 19, 2020, after dropping off four of their six children with relatives.

The Wests said they kept their two youngest — Orrin, 4, and Orson, 3 — with them in their van after leaving the Bakersfield home of Trezell West’s parents. Receipts and statements from the couple indicated they stopped at a convenience store, grocery store and McDonald’s before eventually heading back to their California City home.

Bakersfield police Detective Kyle McNabb reviewed footage from those locations. He spotted Trezell and Jacqueline West.

Orrin and Orson, however, were nowhere to be seen, the detective said.

[...]

 

[mickey2942]

But the Wests had two other children who were foster care, two biological children and two adopted children. With basically zero income, except for the adoption and foster care kids. So, the Wests should have never had those two foster kids.

There was something off on the entire assessment process that did the "speed" placement of those two boys in this household. JMO.

 

[cuffem]

I don't know. Maybe pointing out that there weren't any damages - like they didn't remove the carpet, or there wasn't any holes in the walls, that kind of stuff? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ MOO

Good point but they did replace the carpet and paint the walls but after they moved out.
What is the one thing a person will do if they commit a murder in a home? Replace the carpet and clean and paint the walls.
Although I do not think this type of crime happened in this way. I think Orson and Orrin were slowing starved and dehydrated and beaten.

 

[cuffem]

APR 18, 2023

Cal City boys not seen in footage taken days before reported missing: detective

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Jurors were shown surveillance footage Tuesday in which murder suspects Trezell and Jacqueline West visited multiple Bakersfield locations on Dec. 19, 2020, after…

www.kget.com

Jurors were shown surveillance footage Tuesday in which murder suspects Trezell and Jacqueline West visited multiple Bakersfield locations on Dec. 19, 2020, after dropping off four of their six children with relatives.

The Wests said they kept their two youngest — Orrin, 4, and Orson, 3 — with them in their van after leaving the Bakersfield home of Trezell West’s parents. Receipts and statements from the couple indicated they stopped at a convenience store, grocery store and McDonald’s before eventually heading back to their California City home.

Bakersfield police Detective Kyle McNabb reviewed footage from those locations. He spotted Trezell and Jacqueline West.

Orrin and Orson, however, were nowhere to be seen, the detective said.

[...]

Will they say they left them alone in the van as they shopped?

 

[Laughing]

APR 18, 2023

Cal City boys not seen in footage taken days before reported missing: detective

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Jurors were shown surveillance footage Tuesday in which murder suspects Trezell and Jacqueline West visited multiple Bakersfield locations on Dec. 19, 2020, after…

www.kget.com

The Wests said they kept their two youngest — Orrin, 4, and Orson, 3 — with them in their van after leaving the Bakersfield home of Trezell West’s parents. Receipts and statements from the couple indicated they stopped at a convenience store, grocery store and McDonald’s before eventually heading back to their California City home.

Bakersfield police Detective Kyle McNabb reviewed footage from those locations. He spotted Trezell and Jacqueline West.

Orrin and Orson, however, were nowhere to be seen, the detective said.

[...]

rsbm bbm

That receipt list two Happy Meals???

Anyone, anyone, Bueller, anyone?

jmho ymmv lrr