GUILTY TX - Luis Valenzuela & Robin Palafos for starving 4yo girl, San Antonio, 2010

[zadari]

I am so glad that someone stepped up and did the right thing. Praying that this baby recovers and gets placed with a real family. Hope that the 's that did this get some heavy time and not slaps on the wrist.

yeah and i hope the jail forgets their 3 squares a day cuz they arnt their kids either and that fat@ss poor excuse for a mother should be slapped into next week

 

[tekilla]

I was just reading this at another news site....ugh.

The mother admitted to investigators that there was plenty of food in the home and Valenzuela said he did not feel like feeding the girl because she was not his child.


http://www.foxsanantonio.com/newsroom/top_stories/videos/vid_1312.shtml

I wonder how Valenzuela "feels" about being cuffed & locked up. :furious:

Well, it doesn't look like they were missing any d**n meals.

 

[butwhatif?]

My four year old is constantly going to the fridge and pantry to get herself a snack.
I wonder if they had locks on the fridge to stop her from getting the food herself or she wasn't allowed to help herself to food, or if she was just too darn weak from being starved that she wasn't physically able to get to the food.

They say there was plenty of food in the house- why couldn't this little girl get to it? :furious:
I think theres more to this than just not feeding her. Sounds like BF has major control issues and mom is just a sick pathetic woman who would rather please her man than do the most basic chore of feeding her child. :furious::furious:

 

[jnTexas]

Where is the father? I know the 2 jailed are completely responsible for her condition. BUT where is the father? Did he have visitation? Where are the grandparents, aunts, uncles, neighbors? Didn't someone see this child in her daily life? Someone had to know this didn't happen over night.

I'm tired of hearing these cases and knowing someone could've helped and didn't.

 

[Texas Mist]

Relatives say couple accused of starving girl should be in jail
<snip>
News 4 WOAI spoke with Valenzuela's sisters, who say the pair deserves to be in jail.

"When I came and seen this, it hurt me," said one of Valenzuela's sisters. "And then when I seen the baby walk out, and I asked my brother what was wrong. Robin quickly 'She's fine. I took her to the doctor. She's fine. The doctor...They're always at the doctor." :furious:

Both girls remain in the custody of Child Protective Services.

http://www.woai.com/news/local/stor...-of-starving-girl/RTh8w2VyGkSd3lbaCpBsMg.cspx

(there's a video here too.)

 

[BeanE]

Oh this just gets better and better.

Couple accused of starving 4-year-old previously investigated by CPS

The Department of Family and Protective Services looked into abuse allegations against Palafos and Valenzuela three times in the last three years.
In 2007, there were accusations the little girl was smothered. In 2008, they received a referral alleging physical neglect of the girl's older sister, who is 8-years-old. Then just last year, there were concerns that the younger child was "dirty," "filthy, and "skinny." But all three cases were closed. Child Protective Services officials say they weren't able to find any evidence of abuse after interviewing doctors, teachers, and others who knew the family.

Palafos' MySpace page paints her as a doting parent..."who loves to spend time with two beautiful little girls." But News 4 WOAI also found an update that says, "We got wasted! Now we're paying for it."

Article: http://www.woai.com/news/local/stor...ar-old-previously/j4b1SM7KKkO_3ua1wJza3Q.cspx

Video: http://www.woai.com/mediacenter/[email protected]&navCatId=5

 

[MomofBoys]

I'm not someone who advocates taking children away willy-nilly. Some of those children end up going from the frying pan into the fire. However, if there is documentation that the child showed signs of neglect--perhaps the oversight should be stepped up. Goodness. What good is assessing the situation if it ends there? It's the only way to determine if the child is in a subpar situation or an outright dangerous one. These things develop over time. A typed statement doesn't carry the same impact as actually seeing the way a child lives. What's skinny to one agent might be emaciated to another.

I know people complain about budget cuts and resources, and I'm not trying to make this political, but there is a whole lot of spending going on and I have yet to see one program that would be as important as revamping DCF systems and making kids the priority. It'd still be flawed because humans are flawed, but at least a lot of the excuses would fall on deaf ears and there might be more accountability.

 

[VespaElf]

I'm not someone who advocates taking children away willy-nilly. Some of those children end up going from the frying pan into the fire. However, if there is documentation that the child showed signs of neglect--perhaps the oversight should be stepped up. Goodness. What good is assessing the situation if it ends there? It's the only way to determine if the child is in a subpar situation or an outright dangerous one. These things develop over time. A typed statement doesn't carry the same impact as actually seeing the way a child lives. What's skinny to one agent might be emaciated to another.

I know people complain about budget cuts and resources, and I'm not trying to make this political, but there is a whole lot of spending going on and I have yet to see one program that would be as important as revamping DCF systems and making kids the priority. It'd still be flawed because humans are flawed, but at least a lot of the excuses would fall on deaf ears and there might be more accountability.

Im sure DCF will do an 'internal investigation' & find THEY did no 'wrong doing' however will retrain staff BLAH BLAH BLAH!
JUst like precious Baby P,like Philadelphia's precious little Charleeni DCF is BROKE in EVERY state in this country as well as in other countries and they(DCF)CANNOT FIX THEMSELVES!!! NO 'internal reviews' or 'retraining'makes a damn bit of difference they fail children DAILY and every year children die because of this ineffective & flawed system!
Im sorry...I love animals but Im sick of those humane society commericals 24 hours a day WHY IS THERE NOT A HUMANE SOCIETY FOR CHILDREN? What arent the battered faces of innocent children being shown? Child abuse is still treated like a dirty little secret and nobody wants to get involved & you have inept & lazy social workers practically colluding with marginally capable doctors 'investigating' claims that get swept under the rug only to end up with a murdered child that COULD have & SHOULD have been prevented!
How can you tell me a 4 year old weighing under 30 lbs was found by a DOCTOR to NOT be abused??? WTF????:furious:
Im getting fed up with this...........what is wrong with the world?????

 

[not_my_kids]

The problem with the system is exactly as was already said, what is skinny to one worker may be emaciated to another.

Most of the CPS problems go right back to that. There is no oversight and there is no standard procedure. This idea of worker discretion is ridiculous. Give them set rules. A simple spelled out set of rules that dictates when a child will be removed. It would solve so much heartache both in the families that shouldn't be split up and families that never should have been together to begin with. As of right now, they can simply say that the child didn't meet the criteria for removal. That's pretty good when the criteria is based solely on the worker's individual perception. Changing the rules would cost almost nothing. We already know the cost of leaving things the way they are.

 

[Melanie]

I was just reading this at another news site....ugh.

The mother admitted to investigators that there was plenty of food in the home and Valenzuela said he did not feel like feeding the girl because she was not his child.


http://www.foxsanantonio.com/newsroom/top_stories/videos/vid_1312.shtml

I wonder how Valenzuela "feels" about being cuffed & locked up. :furious:

OMG -- those 2 freaks seem awfully well fed and fat to me! How could a mother do this to her own child. It boggles my mind what the baby went through -- having to watch her own mom stuff her face while she was so hungry I hope they enjoy those prison meals --

Mel

 

[Melanie]

Where is the father? I know the 2 jailed are completely responsible for her condition. BUT where is the father? Did he have visitation? Where are the grandparents, aunts, uncles, neighbors? Didn't someone see this child in her daily life? Someone had to know this didn't happen over night.

I'm tired of hearing these cases and knowing someone could've helped and didn't.

My son has a friend who has parents who deny him food, or give him expired carp. The child is 12, and his parents do not give him money or make him a lunch to take to school. I always give me son an extra dollar to make sure his friend gets something to eat. He also has to walk to/fro school, and is skinny with stunted growth (he's 12 but looks more like 7). But this is the weird part -- whenever he comes over I tell him he can have anything he wants, just name it. He never wants to eat! The last time I took him to Miky D's he didn't want to order anything "but could I get a coke for his dad". His parents are skinny too -- so I can't quite figure out what's going on in that house, but this case has me rethinking my concern.

Mel

 

[kbl8201]

My son has a friend who has parents who deny him food, or give him expired carp. The child is 12, and his parents do not give him money or make him a lunch to take to school. I always give me son an extra dollar to make sure his friend gets something to eat. He also has to walk to/fro school, and is skinny with stunted growth (he's 12 but looks more like 7). But this is the weird part -- whenever he comes over I tell him he can have anything he wants, just name it. He never wants to eat! The last time I took him to Miky D's he didn't want to order anything "but could I get a coke for his dad". His parents are skinny too -- so I can't quite figure out what's going on in that house, but this case has me rethinking my concern.

Mel

the fact that he wont even eat, when out with you, when no one is telling him he cant, says that not only are they refusing to feed him, they are traininng him not to eat. this kid needs serious therapy, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE call cps, the cops, the national guard....anyone

 

[SunnieRN]

The mother's myspace shows her talking about them selling their car. They were worried that they weren't doing the right thing for selling it in payments..."the right thing."

I could just spit.

http://www.myspace.com/463230488

Happily married?? Doting parent??? Someone is in lala land! Sick!!

To mgardner, this is definately a VERY unusual situation and should be reported, if for no other reason than the family may not be able to afford to feed this child or he has a disorder that prevents him from eating (physically or emotionally).

I have not seen too many hungry children that refused to eat at McDonalds. Also, the fact that he is the size of a 7 year old may indicate a hormonal problem that has gone undiagnosed.

I hope this family, this young man, gets the help it sounds like he needs!!

 

[Salem]

My son has a friend who has parents who deny him food, or give him expired carp. The child is 12, and his parents do not give him money or make him a lunch to take to school. I always give me son an extra dollar to make sure his friend gets something to eat. He also has to walk to/fro school, and is skinny with stunted growth (he's 12 but looks more like 7). But this is the weird part -- whenever he comes over I tell him he can have anything he wants, just name it. He never wants to eat! The last time I took him to Miky D's he didn't want to order anything "but could I get a coke for his dad". His parents are skinny too -- so I can't quite figure out what's going on in that house, but this case has me rethinking my concern.

Mel

Mel - you need to report this!!!! Children protect their parents, even when their parents are abusive. I'm going out on a limb here and saying if the child is requesting a coke for his dad - then maybe mom controls the household and is mean to both the child and his father and the father doesn't have what it takes to stand up to her.

Instead of asking what the child would like, maybe you could just get him the same thing you get your son and see what happens? He would probably say thank you and scarf it down. If that is what happens, it means he has been TAUGHT not to tell others he is hungry.

Salem

 

[Texas Mist]

Accused Mother Surrenders Parental Rights
Robin Palafos, 24, Accused Of Starving Her Children

Paul Venema, KSAT 12 News Reporter
POSTED: Tuesday, March 2, 2010
UPDATED: 6:39 pm CST March 2, 2010

SAN ANTONIO -- Her 4-year-old daughter weighed only 23 pounds according to hospital doctors, and her 8-year-old daughter stole food at school to keep her younger sibling alive, investigators concluded.

Those are among reports Child Protective Services investigators told Children's Court Judge Charles Montemayor during a hearing in the case of 24-year-old Robin Palafos on Tuesday.

Palafos and her common-law husband, 26-year-old Luis Valaenzuela, are facing injury to a child charges.

Investigators said the couple allegedly only fed the children a bowl of cereal daily, while they ate full meals.

According to hospital records the 4-year-old weighed only 23 pounds when she was admitted to the hospital two weeks ago. The normal weight for a child that age is about 40 pounds. A hairball and wood particles were found in the child's stomach. Evidence, investigators testified, that the child ate her own hair and pieces of wood to stay alive.

Palafos has voluntarily surrendered her parental rights. The children are in temporary state custody. Child Protective Services investigators said that the father's rights will likely be terminated.

Palafos was asked questions concerning the allegations by CPS lawyers during Tuesday's hearing, but refused to answer, citing her Fifth Amendment protection concerning self incrimination.

The couple remains jailed awaiting trial.

http://www.ksat.com/news/22719933/detail.html

I'm in a really bad mood tonite.

 

[BeanE]

Accused Mother Surrenders Parental Rights
Robin Palafos, 24, Accused Of Starving Her Children
KSAT 12 News
POSTED: Tuesday, March 2, 2010
UPDATED: 6:39 pm CST March 2, 2010

Her 4-year-old daughter weighed only 23 pounds according to hospital doctors, and her 8-year-old daughter stole food at school to keep her younger sibling alive, investigators concluded.

snip

A hairball and wood particles were found in the child's stomach. Evidence, investigators testified, that the child ate her own hair and pieces of wood to stay alive.

Palafos has voluntarily surrendered her parental rights. The children are in temporary state custody. Child Protective Services investigators said that the father's rights will likely be terminated.

Article: http://www.ksat.com/news/22719933/detail.html

Video: http://www.ksat.com/video/22719779/index.html

 

[kbl8201]

poor kids.

at least your safe now.

 

[dnrslucky1]

How in the world did they know what was in her stomach.

 

[kbl8201]

pumped it?
regurgitated?

 

[impatientredhead]

They probably found the hairball and wood during the physical exam they did to find out what the damage to her body is and to determine what they need to do.

I don't hide my feelings towards women who allow their boyfriends to do anything to their children BUT if even try to understand and think okay mom is terrified of this man and mistakingly believes appeasing him is the best route to go why wouldn't she sneak food to her child?

She is going to blame him and say it wasn't her decision but she wasn't even trying to get any food to her.