Thread: Baby clings to life; parents charged

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?news ... 5210&rfi=6

Baby clings to life; parents charged

By Scott Harper, sharper@gtowntimes.com July 28, 2006


A newborn baby who was barely clinging to life Thursday afternoon — allegedly as a result of abuse — was not expected to survive, according to investigators.

Ramon Hernandez, a 25-year-old illegal immigrant, and 22-year-old Yuribel Najera, who live on Challies Alley off Cleland Street, parents of 3-week-old Judith Najera-Hernandez, were denied bond Thursday after being arrested for assault and battery with intent to kill.

According to a police report, the infant was taken to the hospital about 12:03 a.m. Thursday, more than 27 hours after the injuries took place.

Cpl. Blair Cribb and Officer Sherri Smith responded to the call at the hospital and found the infant “was limp and not breathing,” according to Cribb’s report.

While hospital staff worked to revive the baby, a doctor noticed several bruises. It was determined through X-rays that she had a fractured skull as well as bleeding on her brain.

“I observed bruises above the eyebrows on her forehead, a bruise on her right shoulder and on her buttocks,” Cribb reported.

The infant was transported to the Medical University of South Carolina Hospital in Charleston where she was listed in critical condition Thursday.

Georgetown Police Investigator Sgt. Jimmy Burke said he was told by hospital officials Thursday the baby had severe head and brain injuries and “is not expected to survive.”

When the baby was taken to Charleston, the parents were escorted to the police department for further questioning. An interpreter had to be brought in to help with the interview between police and Hernandez.
Burke said as the interviews progressed, investigators realized they were getting conflicting stories about how the baby received the injuries.

“(Najera) said (Hernandez) rammed the baby’s head into a wall because she would not stop crying. She says he has a terrible anger problem (and) has abused the baby for the past couple of weeks,” Burke said, adding the injuries found on the girl back up the claims of abuse before Tuesday.

Hernandez, Burke said, told investigators through his interpreter that Najera was giving the infant a bath and dropped her in the bath tub.

Burke said the incident that resulted in the baby’s condition occurred between 4 and 7 p.m. Tuesday. Najera is charged because she failed to seek medical treatment for her daughter in a timely manner.

If the baby dies, the charges against the couple will be upgraded to homicide by child abuse which carries a sentence of 20 years to life.

While Hernandez, according to Burke, admitted he is a native of Mexico City who is in the United States illegally, Najera does have a Social Security card. Burke said investigators are attempting to find out if the card is legal or fake.

He said if the charges are upgraded and another bond hearing is held, police will request that bond be denied because the couple would be a flight risk.

That poor baby. I hope they hang them out to dry.

They should prosecute both of them him for the abuse and her for neglect. Then deport both of them

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/my ... 142400.htm

Posted on Fri, Jul. 28, 2006

Parents charged in 3-week-old child's beating
By Kelly Marshall Fuller
The Sun News


Ramon Hernandez and Yuribel Najera

GEORGETOWN COUNTY
GEORGETOWN | A Georgetown couple is being held without bond and their child remains in critical condition at after police said the child was possibly beaten with a blunt object.

Judith Hernandez, who is three weeks old, is hospitalized at the Medical University of South Carolina, said Johnell Sparkman, an investigator with the Georgetown Police Department.

A 1-year-old boy, the brother of the injured baby, has been taken into protective custody, Sparkman said.

Meanwhile, Immigration officials have been called to assist with investigation, Sparkman said.

Yuribel Najera, 22, and her 25-year-old boyfriend, Ramon Hernandez, were being held Friday at the Georgetown County Detention Center charged with assault and battery with intent to kill in connection with the incident that left their daughter with head trauma and other injuries, police said.

Hernandez is an illegal immigrant, Sparkman said.

Najera has lived in the United States for 10 years.

It is unclear how long the couple has lived in Georgetown.

I would put the baby in protected custody and find other relatives, preferrably in Mexico ,who can take good care of the baby.

http://www.zwire.com

Newborn’s condition called grim


By Scott Harper, sharper@gtowntimes.com August 02, 2006

A newborn baby girl who was hospitalized Thursday with near-fatal injuries — which police say were caused by her parents — was clinging to life Tuesday.

Three-week-old Judith Najera-Hernandez, the daughter of Ramon Hernandez, a 25-year-old illegal immigrant, and 22-year-old Yuribel Najera, who live on Challies Alley off Cleland Street, remained on life support at the Medical University of South Carolina Hospital in Charleston Tuesday, according to Georgetown Police Investigator Johnell Sparkman.

“We talked to the doctors today and they said there were some signs of blood flowing to the baby’s brain but there is still no brain wave activity,” Sparkman said Tuesday, adding that additional testing on the infant is scheduled to take place.

He said the doctors still say the outlook is grim for the girl’s survival 27 hours after the injuries took place.

Sparkman said investigators have not conducted any additional interviews with the parents since their arrest.

During her original interview last week, Mrs. Najera said her boyfriend, Hernandez, rammed the baby’s head into a bathroom wall because she would not stop crying.

She said Hernandez “has a terrible anger problem (and) has abused the baby” since she was born.

Hernandez told investigators through his interpreter that Najera was giving the infant a bath and dropped her in the bath tub which caused the injuries.

Najera is charged because she failed to seek medical treatment for her daughter in a timely manner.

If the baby dies, the charges against the couple will be upgraded to homicide by child abuse which carries a sentence of 20 years to life.
Hernandez admitted he is a native of Mexico City and is in the United States illegally.

His girlfriend reportedly move to Georgetown from Michigan and has been in the U.S. for 10 years. Police are still trying to determine the legality of her residency.

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/my ... 357232.htm

Posted on Fri, Aug. 25, 2006

State seeks custody of baby
Critically hurt infant currently on life support
By Kelly Marshall Fuller
The Sun News

GEORGETOWN - A hearing next week in family court in Georgetown could give the S.C. Department of Social Services the authority to remove a critically injured baby from life support.

Judith Hernandez, who was three weeks old when she was taken to the Medical University of South Carolina July 27, has remained in critical condition ever since.

Her mother, Yuribel Najera, 22, and her 25-year-old boyfriend, Ramon Hernandez, have been charged with infliction of bodily injury upon a child.

The parents, who are being held at the Georgetown County Detention Center without bail, have not agreed to take the child off life support and have not signed papers giving doctor's permission to forego life-saving measures if the child's organs begin to fail, said attorney Ray Chandler, who represents the baby's mother on the criminal charges.

A motion has been made by DSS to allow the agency to make decisions regarding the baby's medical treatment, said Dan Guiney, a private attorney who said he was appointed by the Georgetown County Clerk of Court's Office to represent Najera during the DSS hearing.

A temporary-custody decision also is expected to be made regarding Najera's 1-year-old son, Guiney said.

The child was placed in foster care soon after his parents' arrest.

Guiney does not know if both parents will attend the hearing.

Chandler said Najera has agreed to sign a "do not resuscitate" request. Hernandez has refused to sign the same papers, he said.

"She will acquiesce to doing it because she feels the doctors have the baby's best interest at heart," Chandler said. "The father has refused unequivocally to sign the form that would give doctor's permission to not initiate life saving action to save the child."

Chandler described the case as "heartbreaking."

He will visit Najera today at the Georgetown County jail to discuss the case.

"We're talking to this young lady and joining her in prayer for this child," he said.

He plans to ask that bail be set at a later date for Najera.

She has asked that she be allowed to see her son, Chandler said.

"That's usually the first thing out of her mouth," he said.

Judith Hernandez had multiple skull fractures when she was brought to Georgetown Memorial, police said.

The baby also had bruises on her shoulder and buttocks.

The couple has other family living in Georgetown, including Hernandez' mother, who lives with them.

I amazed the baby has hung on this long from what was detailed in the articles. However it doesn't appear there is realistically any chance for recovery. I hope these people are given the death penalty, or life without parole minimum for the brutal treatment of their baby.

Was expected but damn sad.

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?news ... 5210&rfi=6

Baby dies, parents charged

By Scott Harper, sharper@gtowntimes.com September 06, 2006


After spending 40 days on life support at the Medical University of South Carolina Hospital in Charleston, 9-week-old Judith Hernandez lost her battle Tuesday afternoon.

Because of her death, the criminal charges against her parents — Ramon Hernandez, 25, and Yuribel Najera, 22 — are scheduled to officially be upgraded today from assault and battery with intent to kill to homicide by child abuse, according to Georgetown Police Capt. Nelson Brown.

The ordeal for the newborn began July 26 when she received her life-threatening injuries, allegedly at the hands of her father.

Police say Hernandez — an illegal immigrant — got angry and smashed the baby’s head into a wall.

At a hearing last week, Dr. Ann Able said the infant’s head resembled a cracked clay pot.

Najera is accused of waiting more than 24 hours to get medical attention for her daughter. Once she did finally take her to Georgetown Memorial Hospital, the baby was rushed to MUSC.
Doctors there described her as being clinically brain dead from the time she arrived.

She remained on life support because her parents would not sign a form that would allow the machine to be removed. As long as there was any blood at all going to the baby’s brain, the doctors had to abide by those wishes, despite the fact that they detected no brain activity.

Coroner Kenny Johnson said he was told by doctors that when Hernandez was tested Tuesday, there was no blood at all going to her brain.
Johnson said an autopsy will be conducted today to determine the official cause of death.

Dr. Able said it appeared the baby had suffered abuse through most of her very short life. She testified there was bleeding in both of the baby’s eyes, which appeared to have been caused by violent shaking.
She said such injuries could have only occurred as a result of “high-energy impact.”

The Department of Social Services took the parents to court last week to try to get the authority to decide whether the life support would be removed. The judge had not issued a ruling by the time Hernandez died.
Although the baby’s father is the one accused of committing the actual abuse that killed his daughter, Brown said it is appropriate to charge both parents equally.

“She withheld the medical treatment. She knew it took place and did nothing about it,” Brown said.

This is the third homicide by child abuse case in Georgetown County in recent years.

In 2002, Roberto Quinones, who was living at Green Acres Mobile Home Park, was charged with the death of his 5-week-old daughter who suffered fractures to her skull. He later pled guilty and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

In February, 2001, Sabrina Bone and Jay McClellan of Andrews were convicted of killing Bone’s toddler, Brandon Hunter Ward. Bone and McClellan were sentenced to 40 years in prison. McClellan’s sentence was later reduced to 19 years because of a mistake on the part of the prosecution.

With the passing of Hernandez, there have been three murders in the city this year.

On Friday, Kesha Rudolph was shot and killed in her Church Street home. Her ex-boyfriend, Eric Smith is in jail in Williamsburg County charged with the murder.

In May, 40-year-old Sherry Keyes was stabbed to death in a room at the Bayview Motel. Ladislao Bostos, 21, of 27 Hope Lane was later arrested and charged with the murder.

No date has been set for a bond hearing for Hernandez and Najera.

My heart goes out to the poor child. I see they were pumping out the babies. Brother is i year old and baby was 3 weeks