How Could You? Hall of Shame-Maria Alvarez

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Bakersfield, California, 3-year-old disabled foster child George Videla almost drowned in the care of his foster mother, Maria Alvarez.

The Kern County fire department rescued George from the apartment swimming pool. George has cleft feet and Pierre Robin sequence “which is when a child has a smaller-than-normal lower jaw, a tongue that falls back in the throat, and has a difficult time breathing. Sotelo admits she hasn’t been the perfect mother either. Four of her children, including George, is currently in foster care. She said she lost her kids after she was arrested for a domestic violence dispute.
She said, “I admit to my faults and I admit to what I’ve done wrong and I know I put myself in this position.”
But, she said despite her personal downfalls as a mother, she wished Alvarez would have watched over George better. She questioned whether Alvarez knew CPR or not. In the 911 call placed on April 28th at 2:35pm, a dispatcher is clearly heard giving step-by-step CPR instructions to an unidentified caller, who apparently directs it to Alvarez. ”

Reduced hearing and frequent ear infections are also common symptoms of Pierre Robin sequence, though it is unknown if George additionally suffered from these conditions.

Foster Children Safe Haven is the name of the foster care agency that certified Maria Alvarez. They stated that foster parents receive 12 hours of training including water safety certificate and training. An untold number of other foster children were removed from the home as a precaution.

Birth mother blames son’s near-drowning on foster mother

[Bakersfield Now 5/9/12 by Connie Tran]

 

Children’s Rights indicates that there were five other foster children in the home with three under the age of 5. Six children is the maximum allowed by this foster care agency.

 

“County social workers had been told by other tenants at the apartment complex on Victor Street that the kids in that foster family had been seen in the care of the teenage foster daughter and that they had been kicking in doors and committing other vandalism.

Worst of all, one tenant reportedly told Paul’s social worker, Natalie Yubeta, that she had nearly run over him twice when the child was in the parking lot unsupervised…”

George apparently is suffering nightmares still from this incident.

 

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