How Could You? Hall of Shame-Pedro Manzo UPDATED

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 Goodyear, Arizona,  Foster parent Pedro Manzo,36, was arrested for “severely injuring a 15-month-old girl” on Tuesday, October 29,2013. He has pleaded not guilty  to one count of  “Child Abuse.”

“A probable cause complaint reveals the injured girl, “kept throwing her sippie cup” so Manzo admitted he “grabbed under her jaw, shook her in a side to side motion and applied pressure to her jaw and throat that caused her to pass out.”

“Her neck is fractured. She has blood clots,” said Rosa Valle, the girl’s biological mother, who showed pictures of her daughter in a neck brace at the hospital.

Valle said her 15-month-old daughter and 3-year-old son had been abused previously by Manzo, who is their foster father.”

“(Manzo) is in jail, and I think he deserves to be in there,” said Valle.

Manzo was released from custody just nine hours after being arrested for child abuse.

Valle says she notified CPS on several occasions that she suspected abuse in the home, but said her concerns were not addressed.

“My kid tells me, ‘Mommy, mommy Peter (Manzo) hit me. Peter hits me mommy. Peter don’t let me eat.'”

“It’s a very rigorous process. We ask our (foster family) applicants to go through,” said Mary Bankoff, with the Arizona Department of Economic Security, which oversees Child Protective Services.

Bankoff said it is a three to six month process to get approved as a foster family. There are roughly 5,000 approved foster families in the state.”

Goodyear foster father pleads not guilty in child abuse case[CBS 5 11/27/13 BY Greg Argos and Adam Longo]

“Maricopa County prosecutors say 36-year-old Pedro Manzo entered his plea Wednesday. His next scheduled court date is Jan. 6.

He was arrested last month on suspicion of one count of child abuse and held on $18,000 bond.

Goodyear police say Manzo returned home Oct. 28 with his two biological children and two foster children.

He told authorities that he later found his foster daughter slumped on the floor and not breathing.

While at the hospital, doctors noticed the child had bruises on her head and shoulder.

Police say Manzo allegedly admitted that he grabbed his daughter under her jaw, shook her and caused her to pass out.”

[My Fox Phoenix 11/18/13 By Associated Press]

A search of the Arizona Court Records shows that he had initial pretrial conference on 1/6/14 . He scheduled for a comprehensive pretrial conference on 2/5/14 and trial on 4/10/14.

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update: “A Goodyear man accused of injuring his 1-year-old foster daughter for throwing her sippy cup and spilling its contents has pleaded guilty.

A Maricopa County Superior Court spokeswoman say Pedro Manzo entered his plea to two counts of child abuse on Thursday and will be sentenced April 2.

According to Goodyear police, Manzo returned home Oct. 28 with his two biological children and two foster children.

He told authorities that he later found his foster daughter slumped on the floor and not breathing.

However, doctors at a hospital noticed the child had bruises on her head and shoulder.

Police say Manzo admitted that he shook the girl and caused her to pass out.”

Goodyear man accused of abusing foster child pleads guilty [AZ Family 2/27/14 by Associated Press]

Update 2:“A Valley foster father accused of severely injuring a 15-month-old girl in October 2013 has been sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison and lifetime probation.

Judge Jeanne Garcia sentenced Pedro Manzo, 36, Friday morning, according to Superior Court of Arizona spokeswoman Karen Arra.

Manzo had previously changed his November plea of not guilty to guilty on two counts of child abuse.

A probable cause complaint revealed the injured girl “kept throwing her sippie cup” so Manzo admitted he “grabbed under her jaw, shook her in a side-to-side motion and applied pressure to her jaw and throat that caused her to pass out.”

“Her neck is fractured. She has blood clots,” said Rosa Valle, the girl’s biological mother, Oct. 30, 2013, two days after the incident. Valle showed pictures of her daughter in a neck brace at the hospital.

Valle said her 15-month-old daughter and 3-year-old son had been abused previously by Manzo, who is their foster father.

Goodyear police arrested Manzo on Oct. 29, 2013 and charged him with child abuse. Though Child Protective Services was not able to comment on the case, Valle provided documents that show Manzo is the foster father of the two children.

“(Manzo) is in jail, and I think he deserves to be in there,” said Valle.

Manzo was released from custody just nine hours after being arrested for child abuse.

Valle said she notified CPS on several occasions that she suspected abuse in the home, but said her concerns were not addressed.

“My kid tells me, ‘Mommy, mommy Peter (Manzo) hit me. Peter hits me, mommy. Peter don’t let me eat,'” Valle said.

“It’s a very rigorous process. We ask our (foster family) applicants to go through,” said Mary Bankoff, with the Arizona Department of Economic Security, which oversees Child Protective Services.

Bankoff said it is a three- to six-month process to get approved as a foster family. There are roughly 5,000 approved foster families in the state.”

Goodyear foster father sentenced in child abuse case [Arizona newszap.com 5/23/14 by Greg Argos and Adam Longo]