Thread: WA: Woman convicted in death of 2-year-old son who was

March 28, 2007

Woman convicted in death of 2-year-old son who was returned to her 3 times despite injuries

By John K. Wiley
The Associated Press

EPHRATA, Wash. — A woman was convicted Wednesday in the death of her 2-year-old son, who was born with drugs in his system and had been repeatedly returned to her care by child welfare officials despite broken bones, burns and other injuries.

Maribel Gomez had waived her right to a jury trial. She wailed as law enforcement officials led her away after the judge found her guilty of homicide by abuse and first-degree manslaughter.

The little boy’s death had led to a review by the state Department of Social and Health Services that concluded child welfare workers failed to follow the agency’s rules and ignored obvious signs that the child was in danger.

Rafael “Raffy” Gomez died Sept. 10, 2003.

Prosecutors contended he died of blunt trauma to his head inflicted by his mother. Gomez said her son had fallen backward and hit his head during a tantrum over food.

An autopsy found that during his 25 months of life, Rafael had suffered two broken legs, as many as four skull fractures, shoulder sprains, burns and other injuries.

He was born with cocaine and methamphetamine in his system and was placed with foster parents.

When he was 10 months old, he was returned to his birth parents, Gomez and Jose Arechiga. State child welfare workers placed him three more times with the same foster parents, but each time returned him to Gomez when his injuries healed.

“Raffy couldn’t come to court to testify,” said prosecutor John Knodell. “We’re very grateful for the verdict we got.”

Rafael spent 14 months in foster care and only 11 months with his mother. Arechiga was not charged, and Gomez’s four other children have been placed in foster care.

Gomez, 32, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, faces up to 26 years in prison. If acquitted, she would have faced deportation. Now she will serve her sentence before facing removal.

http://www.dailytidings.com/2007/032...ild_killer.php

I am ill now. She should be put to a very slow agonizing death, starting NOW and those that kept returning this boy to her should serve jail time. -- Jaded

Why in the world did they allow her to stay here in the first place?

Raffy's mother sentenced to 26 years

Story Updated: Apr 9, 2007 at 11:14 AM PDT
By KOMO Staff & News ServicesMaribel Gomez, the Ephrata woman who was convicted of beating her 2-year-old son to death, was sentenced to 26 years and 8 months in court on Monday.

Gomez was found guilty of homicide by abuse and first-degree manslaughter last month.

Raffy Gomez was 25 months old when he died Sept. 10, 2003, of blunt head trauma while in his mother's care. He had spent a total of 14 months in foster care while healing from injuries inflicted by his 32-year-old mother that included broken legs, skull fractures, bruises and burns.

Three times, the state's Child Protective service placed the boy in foster care. Each time, the agency then returned Raffy to his birth mother in Ephrata.

The case spotlighted failures in the state's foster are system, but prosecutor John Knodell said before the trial started that it would be about the actions of Maribel Gomez.

A Grant County Superior Court judge heard the trial from the bench after Gomez, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, waived her right to a trial by jury. He found Gomez recklessly and with extreme indifference to human life caused her son's death after a pattern of assault.

"Raffy couldn't come to court to testify," he said. "We're very grateful for the verdict we got."

Raffy died a day after his mother said her son violently fell backward and hit his head during a tantrum over food. Prosecutors said the boy died of blunt trauma to the head inflicted by his abusive mother, while a defense expert contended the toddler died after choking on vomit.

An autopsy indicated Raffy had suffered two broken legs, as many as four skull fractures, shoulder separations, burns and other injuries during his short life.

Born Aug. 7, 2001, with cocaine and methamphetamine in his system, Raffy was placed with the Griffiths before being returned to birth parents, Gomez and Jose Arechiga, at 10 months.

Arechiga was not charged in Raffy's death. Gomez' four other children have been placed in foster care.

After Raffy's death, DSHS conducted a review that concluded child welfare workers were biased toward the birth parents, ignored obvious signs that Raffy was in danger and failed to follow the agency's own rules.

As an illegal immigrant, Gomez faces deportation after her sentence is completed.







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