Infant dies after meth pipe swab used to clean baby's nose

[odette]

SoCal infant dies after meth pipe swab used to clean baby's nose

BAKERSFIELD CALIFORNIAN
Monday, Sep 3 2007 2:11 AM

An 8-month-old boy has died after his mother told police she accidentally wiped his nose with a cotton swab used earlier to clean a methamphetamine pipe, authorities said.

Prosecutors were reviewing evidence against the infant's mother, Elizabeth Reta of Ontario, and her boyfriend, Juan Antonio Sanchez Jr., and would likely seek murder charges, police Cpl. Jeff Higbee said Monday.

The boy, Samuel Reta, was declared dead Friday at Loma Linda University Medical Center, according to the San Bernardino County Coroner's office.

The child had been in a coma since police responding to a child-not-breathing emergency call early Thursday found him in full cardiac arrest. The baby also has a fractured skull, broken arm and pneumonia, police said.

Elizabeth Reta, 27, was arrested Thursday and booked for investigation of felony child abuse. Sanchez, who surrendered to police later that night, was also arrested on suspicion of abusing the child, officials said.

Reta has told police she gave the baby a bath, and then used the cotton swab to clean his nose because it was itching, police said. She said she didn't know the swab had been used to clean a methamphetamine pipe.

It wasn't clear when the baby suffered the broken bones. Police said some of the injuries may be the result of Sanchez's attempt to rouse the baby from his seizure.

SoCal infant dies after meth pipe swab used to clean baby's nose (http://www.bakersfield.com/119/story/226963.html)

[odette]

Baby boy in a coma

SBSUN.COM
Jannise Johnson, Staff Writer
08/31/2007

ONTARIO - A mother told police on Thursday that she accidentally swabbed the nose of her 8-month-old baby boy with a Q-Tip that was previously used to clean a methamphetamine pipe.

The baby was in a coma and on life support. He was also suffering from a skull fracture, broken arm and pneumonia.

Police arrested the 27-year-old mother, Elizabeth Reta, on suspicion of felony child abuse.

They were looking for her boyfriend, identified as Juan Antonio Sanchez Jr., because they suspect he also abused the baby.

Ontario police officers responded at 2:30 a.m. to the 1500 block of South Euclid Avenue after receiving a call of child not breathing, according to an Ontario police news release.

Police said they found the baby in full cardiac arrest.

The baby was taken to Chino Valley Medical Center, where his injuries were learned about, and then to Loma Linda University Medical Center for further treatment.

The baby was listed in grave condition. ...

continued: Baby boy in a coma (http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_6765669)

[odette]

Man surrenders to Ontario police over baby abuse case
He is held on suspicion of attempted murder, child abuse

DAILY BULLETIN
Wes Woods II
08/31/2007

ONTARIO - A 32-year-old man wanted in connection with the abuse of an 8-month-old baby still in grave condition has turned himself in to police.

Juan Antonio Sanchez Jr. surrendered to Ontario investigators about 8:25 p.m. Thursday while he was at his mother's Pomona residence at the 400 block of Hamilton Street, according to an Ontario police news release.

Sanchez said he shook and struck his girlfriend's baby several times to try to stop the boy's seizures, police said.

The baby's mother Elizabeth Reta, 27, was arrested on suspicion of felony child abuse after police said she accidently swabbed the nose of her 8-month-old baby boy with a Q-Tip previously used to clean a methamphetamine pipe.

Ontario police Officer Anthony Ortiz said Sanchez had been deported to Mexico in May 2004.

Investigators are seeking attempted murder and child abuse charges against Sanchez, the release said.

He was booked into West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga.

Google Cache: Man surrenders to Ontario police over baby abuse case (http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:dT09d3Uos64J:www.dailybulletin.com/ci_6772374%3Fsource%3Dmost_viewed+%22Man+surrender s+to+Ontario+police+over+baby+abuse+case%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1)

[odette]

Murder charges filed against mom, boyfriend in baby's death

DAILY BULLETIN
By Rod Leveque

RANCHO CUCAMONGA - Prosecutors filed murder charges this morning against a mother and her boyfriend suspected of fatally abusing the woman's 8-month-old son.

Police say 27-year-old Elizabeth Reta claimed her son fell ill last week after she swabbed his nose with a Q-tip that had been used to clean a methamphetamine pipe.

The child, Samuel Reta, who also had a number of injuries consistent with physical abuse, died at a hospital over the weekend.

Authorities believe Reta's boyfriend, Juan Antonio Sanchez Jr., may have physically abused the child inside their Ontario home.

The couple told police that after Samuel fell ill from the drug exposure, Sanchez shook and struck the child repeatedly in an attempt to stop the boy's seizures.

Investigators believe the boy may have been abused like this for several days before Reta and Sanchez finally sought medical help.

When Samuel was finally hospitalized, doctors said his injuries included a skull fracture, bleeding on the brain and a broken arm.

Reta and Sanchez are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in West Valley Superior Court.

Samuel's autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow.

http://www.dailybulletin.com/news/ci_6798866

[odette]

Ontario police say baby shaken, exposed to meth

The Press-Enterprise
By JOHN ASBURY
September 3, 2007

Ontario police said an 8-month-old baby who died Friday had a cotton swab coated in methamphetamine applied to his nose and showed signs of shaken-baby syndrome. ...

excerpt
Both Reta and Sanchez were booked at Western Valley Detention Center. Bail was set at $500,000.

Two other children living in the home, a 10-year-old and an 8-year-old, were taken to Child Protective Services, police said.

continued: Ontario police say baby shaken, exposed to meth (http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_H_baby04.32fbfa0.html)

[odette]

http://i15.tinypic.com/5znfwk0.jpg
Juan Antonio Sanchez Jr.

http://www.dailybulletin.com/news/ci_6787980

[sallynuts]

((((sigh)))) what an absolute pitiful excuse... 'i didn't know the swab had meth on it'..... Jeez.... please... :no: :no: :no:

i'm shaking my head.. we need a smiley for it!

[odette]

Ontario couple pleads not guilty to meth-related death of infant

MERCURY NEWS
The Associated Press
Article Launched: 09/05/2007 11:12:33 AM PDT

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif.— An Ontario couple pleaded not guilty to the murder of an infant who was violently shaken after going into a methamphetamine-induced seizure.

Elizabeth Reta, 28, and boyfriend Juan Antonio Sanchez Jr., 32, entered the pleas during a Superior Court hearing on Tuesday. Bail was set at $1 million each. ...

CONTINUED
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_6807920?nclick_check=1

[odette]

Police say meth baby was abused

SBSUN - Rod Leveque, Staff Writer - Article Launched: 09/14/2007 11:10:37 PM PDT

RANCHO CUCAMONGA - A mother who said she mistakenly swabbed her baby's nose with a methamphetamine-laced Q-tip told police that her parolee boyfriend refused to allow her to take the child to the hospital for fear that he would be sent back to prison, according to police reports made public this week.

Elizabeth Reta told detectives that instead of seeking proper medical help for her 8-month-old son, Samuel, her boyfriend, Juan "Johnny" Sanchez, tried for three days to get the child "off the high" by tying him to a bed, shaking him, slapping him and splashing him with cold water.

"She said she would beg Johnny to stop hitting the child, but he would tell her he knew what he was doing," according to the reports.

Little Samuel Reta fell even more ill and eventually died from the alleged abuse, police say.

His mother and Sanchez are now in jail facing a murder charge.

They have pleaded not guilty, and both are scheduled to return to West Valley Superior Court on Monday for a pre-preliminary hearing conference.

Sanchez, 32, was convicted of robbery in 2001 and deported, but apparently returned to the country illegally, authorities said.

Elizabeth Reta, 28, worked for a child-care center in Covina before her arrest on Aug. 30.

The police reports, which are contained in the court file, offer new details on the dreadful last days of Samuel, mostly based upon the accounts given to police by Reta and Sanchez.

Reta told police she used a Q-tip she found on her kitchen table to swab her son's itchy nose following a bath sometime around Aug. 25.

Soon after, the boy began to behave oddly, moving his hands and feet in strange ways, she told police.

When she alerted Sanchez, he called her "stupid," and told her she had used a Q-tip that he keeps for cleaning his meth pipe, she said.

Reta told detectives that as Samuel began to react to the drugs, Sanchez spanked him and repeatedly slapped him on the face.

She said that when Samuel did not "snap out of it," she saw Sanchez throw the child on the floor. She also said Sanchez tied Samuel to a bed, according to the reports.

The next day, Samuel still appeared to be in a daze, and Sanchez kept hitting the baby in the chest and buttocks, Reta told police.

This sort of thing went on for several days, Reta said. During that time Sanchez again tied the child to the bed and repeatedly hit him on the chest, according to the reports.

Finally, on Aug. 29, she said Samuel struggled to breath, and she was awakened by the sounds of him gurgling and gasping. She said she gave the boy CPR, and then called 911, over the objections of Sanchez.

She told police, Sanchez hid in a closet while paramedics tended to the child.

Samuel was taken to the hospital, where doctors determined that he suffered from pneumonia, a broken arm, broken rib, an apparent bite mark on the arm and injuries consistent with shaken baby syndrome.

A drug screening was negative.

Both Reta and Sanchez were arrested Aug. 30.

Samuel died at the hospital the next day.

During an interview with police, Sanchez admitted to some of the behavior Reta recounted, but described it to police in less severe terms, according to the reports.

He told detectives he spanked Samuel, lightly slapped him on the face, and hit him "a little on the chest," but only in attempts to help the child come off the drugs.

"He said he did not hit the child hard," the reports say. "He said all this went on for two days."

He denied tying Samuel to a bed, saying the closest thing he did was set a pillow atop the child's left hand so he would not put it in his mouth. He said Reta, however, did tie the boy's hand with a bandana, according to the reports.

Although he said he only meant to help the child, he conceded that he may have gone overboard and shook Samuel too hard, according to the reports.

An autopsy was done on Samuel last week. The preliminary cause of death appears to be abusive head trauma, although officials said they are still awaiting the results of toxicology and other tests before reaching a final conclusion.

Deputy District Attorney Jason Anderson said Friday that no major developments had been made in the investigation since the arrests.

http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_6900888

[Zoey]

[..]

Odette posted:
A drug screening was negative.

Negative for the parents or the baby?

Another case that just sickens me. I don't understand what in the hell is going on with people. Why would anyone hurt an innocent little child?

:rose: - for Samuel