Man in abuse case held by immigration officials
By Art Campos - acampos@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PDT Friday, April 4, 2008
Story appeared in METRO section, Page B3



An Auburn man charged with failing to nourish his infant daughter is being held by immigration officials after being released from the Placer County jail on $25,000 bail.

Dean Starks, the attorney for David Abraham Mark, said his client, who has a green card that allows him to live in the United States, was placed on a federal hold.

Starks disclosed the federal hold to explain to a Placer Superior Court judge why Mark, 49, was not in court Thursday for a mandatory appearance.

He urged Judge John Cosgrove not to issue an arrest warrant for his client for failing to appear.

"He's in federal custody," Starks said. "He's not going anywhere."

The attorney said issuing a warrant might cloud Mark's status with immigration officials. Starks later told The Bee that he did not know the reason for the immigration hold.

Cosgrove agreed and set Mark's next court appearance for May 8.

Mark and his wife, Monica Sue Mark, 38, who remains in jail in lieu of $150,000 bail, have been charged with cruelty to a child by abuse, neglect or endangerment of health.

The Marks were arrested Jan. 29 after Auburn police investigated a complaint by the county's Child Protective Services that the couple's baby, Sheila, had lost one-third of her birth weight when she was brought to a doctor for her six-week checkup Dec. 26.

About the writer:
Call The Bee's Art Campos, (916) 773-2825.
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