OK I get it now. Do we know when the pictures of his scratches and bruises were taken? Early July is what I gathered last Friday, a cousin took them? Am I remembering correctly?
So he was last seen on July 4th
Physical abuse happened before that (for pictures to have been taken)
I assume more abuse after pictures taken, so much that he hit his head and was unable to walk
Seizures begin from probable head trauma (I'm speculating)
Work decides to keep him from hospital because of abuse and the threat he will be taken from her
He dies while she is asleep
Yeah. It sounds like he began convulsing from brain injuries. The fact that neither have outright accused the other indicates they likely both joined in on the abuse of this tiny child.
I actually think it's possible he was not abysed until recently. In other words, he was a happy child in those photos because he wasn't bring beaten.
Kids who are abused aren't always abused or neglected since birth. I think quite often the abuse begins when the child hits the twos if threes, starts really showing their personality, throwing tantrums , and having to be potty trained which apparently enrages many adults for some reason.
If you look at cases of extreme abuse leading to death like the kid in A Boy Called It, or Zahara Baker, Riley Ann Sawyer, Emma Thompson, Juliette Guerts, Ayla Reynolds, etc., it seems there's a time when all is okay and then abuse starts. Often, it appears the introduction of a significant other into the mix is the catalyst for the beginning of systematic, life-threatening abuse.
In this case, it must have been a perfect storm. Two rage filled young people trying to parent a child, with criminal records, one of whom may have been in and out of Colton's life and have just returned to the picture.
I really wish whoever had noticed the bruises and cuts "in various stages of healing", had reported this ASAP.
I'm not sure if Colton's death can be attributed to the broken CPS system. It may be, as another stated,that the child could not be located.
However, it is true that the system in every state practically, is broken. And everyone complains. There is a simple solution though which no one seems to want to employ- money. Repeatedly we hear how these workers are dangerously impacted with kids and cases assigned to them and dangerously overworked. My parents and brother and some friends work/worked in the system. Try being assigned 40 cases, being required to visit each child once per month and having some of those kids in out of county or out of state placements. How is it possible? How do you accurately track each child and assess them? A friend of mine, I rarely see her now since she began working as a social worker a couple years ago and when we do get together, she's on the phone repeatedly, dealing with her kids (Dependency cases).
And the the workers who have to assess emergency cases? It can be worse.
The solution is more money for more workers and for one computer system that all LE, doctors and schools reporting abuse, abuse hotlines and CPS agencies can use to track or report on any one child.
But no on wants to pay. Until we make this a priority, it won't change.
People have and you know LE has. I hope they asked her why she's been so glib and casual on FB since the death of her baby in July. I wish I could say what I think of that without getting a timeout.
