How Could You? Hall of Shame-Laila Marie Daniel case and Millie Place-Child Death 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 Mc Donough, Georgia, foster child “Laila Marie Daniel, 2, was in the care of Jennifer Rosenbaum of Lincoln Terrace in McDonough when she died.”

“Henry County police are investigating the Nov. 17 death of a child in the foster care of a county commission candidate and legal extern of Georgia House of Representatives.”

“Daniel’s 4-year-old sister, who was also in the home, has reportedly been removed and placed with another family. Another sister, 2-months-old, is in another home.”

“Henry County police Capt. Joey Smith said a call came in Nov. 17 about 5:40 p.m. in reference to an infant choking. When officer arrived about eight minutes later, the child was dead and the officer called for detectives, according to the report.

Sources close to the case said the child was covered in bruises and her body displayed evidence of new and old injuries. The older sister was examined the day after Daniel’s death, according to the source, and doctors found similar injuries and bruising on her body.

Rosenbaum, a U.S. Army National Guard veteran military police officer and Emory law school student, has announced her candidacy for Henry County Commission District 1. The seat is held by Bo Moss and will expire in December 2016.

Her LinkedIn resume includes stints as a legal intern to Henry County Probate Court Judge Kelley Smith Powell, and legislative aide to state Rep. Mike Dudgeon.

Daniel’s funeral service is set for Monday at 2 p.m. in the chapel of Haisten Funeral Home with interment at Berea Cemetery in Hampton with Pastor Terrell Scott officiating. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Sunday from 6 p.m.– 8 p.m. at the McDonough Haisten Funeral Home.

She was the daughter of Tessa Clendening of Stockbridge and Anthony Daniel of Jonesboro. Her grandparents are Gina Banks of Lovejoy, Richard Clendening of Stockbridge, Pamela Gwizdak of Taylorsville, and Kelly Daniel of Jonesboro.

Her great-grandparents are Peggy Banks of Hampton and John F. Gwizdak of Woodbury. She also had several aunts, uncles and cousins who loved her, according to her obituary.

The Herald has reached out to Rosenbaum and her attorney, Steve Frey, responded. We are waiting on a statement from Frey and will provide it as soon as it is released

.Smith said Saturday afternoon no one has been arrested or charged in the case.”

Henry County police investigating death of foster child [Clayton News Daily 11/21/15 by Kathy Jefcoats]

A memorial fund has been set up. See it here .

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update:“Henry County commission candidate Jennifer Rosenbaum has been charged with murder, reportedly in connection with the death of a 2-year-old foster child in her care.

Online records showed Rosenbaum, a 27-year-old Army veteran and Emory University law student, was booked into the Henry County jail late Friday on charges including murder, aggravated assault, two counts of first-degree cruelty to children and one count of second-degree cruelty to children. Rosenbaum’s husband, Joseph, 26, was also arrested but charged only with two counts of first-degree cruelty to children.

No bond was listed for either suspect.

According to the Henry Herald, the Rosenbaums’ arrests are tied to the Nov. 17 death of Laila Marie Daniel, a 2-year-old foster child in their care. The cause and manner of death have not been released, the newspaper reported.

An incident report said Henry County authorities originally responded to the Rosenbaums’ home on Lincoln Terrace in McDonough after receiving a “sick call.” A 911 call suggested the child had choked on food, the Henry Herald reported.

Henry County Police Department spokesman Capt. Joey Smith told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Saturday that his agency is “unable to make any public comments in reference to the specifics of the case at this time.”

“We are preparing a case for prosecution and awaiting preliminary hearings,” he said in an email.

An email to a spokeswoman for Georgia’s Division of Family and Children Services was not immediately returned. It was unclear how long Laila had been in the Rosenbaums’ care, and why she was not with her birth family.”

Henry County commission candidate charged with murder, child cruelty [Atlantic Journal Constitution 12/5/15 by Tyler Estep]

Update 2:“State child welfare officials removed 2-year-old Laila Marie Daniel from her home because of safety concerns, placing her with a family friend. But instead of keeping the toddler safe, that person killed the child weeks ago, starving and beating her with such force as to split her pancreas, police said.

On Friday, police arrested Jennifer Rosenbaum, 27, of McDonough and charged her with murder, aggravated assault and child cruelty. Also arrested was her husband, Joseph Rosenbaum, 26, charged with child cruelty.

Questions are swirling about Jennifer Rosenbaum, a woman who had been employed as an aide to a state lawmaker, was working her way through law school, and was planning to run for a seat on the Henry County Commission.

But the toddler’s death also casts yet another dark cloud over the state Division of Family and Children Services, or DFCS — the agency that placed the child with the couple.

A big mistake?

The Rosenbaums were not foster parents, who receive training. Rather, they were a different kind of DFCS placement, in which the agency places children in danger of abuse or neglect with relatives or family friends. Such placements are believed to be less traumatic for a child.

But the tragic outcome in this case raises questions as to the state’s screening of the Rosenbaums and the monitoring of the children during their time with the couple, said Tom Rawlings, a former state child advocate.

“The whole purpose is to protect the child from imminent danger. If we do something that presents more risk for the child, then we’re doing something wrong,” said Rawlings, who had run the state Office of the Child Advocate from 2007 to 2010.

The Rosenbaum’s attorney, however, called the charges “a big mistake.”

Corinne Mull, the attorney for both Rosenbaums, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that her clients are innocent and Jennifer Rosenbaum is “extremely distraught and dismayed at the thought she would hurt a child.”

Few details released

Police said little Laila Marie had broken bones in her arms and legs and bruises all over her body when she died on Nov. 17.

Arrest warrants against the couple, obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Monday, state that Jennifer Rosenbaum struck the foster child “in the abdomen with such force the child’s pancreas was transected. The child was believed to enter shock due to the blood loss resulting from the injury.”

Laila’s 4-year-old sister also had been abused, according to the warrant.

DFCS is investigating the death and has released few details. A spokeswoman said standard policy calls for a background check and home inspection before placing children in such circumstances.

The hot potato

DFCS spokeswoman Susan Boatwright said the agency can only discuss the case once the child’s files are released. The AJC has submitted a state open records request for the case file.

“The No. 1 priority of the Division of Family and Children Services is the safety of Georgia’s children,” said a DFCS written statement. “To that end, each of the division’s policies and procedures is developed with the goal of ensuring children are safe and are with caregivers who will protect them and provide for them.”

The warrants state that the injuries occurred sometime between June 13 and Laila’s death, but Mull said that the Rosenbaums didn’t have custody of the children until late July.

“When you take in foster children, you don’t know what’s in their history,” Mull said. “And you’re left with the hot potato.”

Should have known

Authorities have said they responded to the Rosenbaums’ home on McDonough’s Lincoln Terrace after receiving a “choking” call, but have otherwise released few details about the investigation.

Jennifer Rosenbaum is also accused of “failing to feed (Laila) in quantities necessary to sustain an adequate body weight.”

Warrants said the girl’s 4-year-old sister claimed Jennifer Rosenbaum hit her as well, and “makes her state that she fell down if anyone asks her about the injuries.”

Warrants taken against Joseph Rosenbaum accuse him of striking both girls.

“Laila Daniel also sustained bone breaks about her body that Joseph Rosenbaum knew about, or should have known about, and failed to provide adequate care for the child,” one warrant said.

A high achiever

Why Laila and her sister were taken from their biological parents remained unclear Monday, as did the specific relationship between the children and the Rosenbaums.

“Placing a child with relatives or caregivers who are close to the family is widely recognized as a best practice in child welfare that potentially limits trauma for children, because it offers a sense of stability in a turbulent time and allows a child to stay connected to his or her community,” DFCS said in an emailed statement. “All potential replacement resources must undergo a vigorous background review.”

Jennifer Rosenbaum was a veteran of the Army National Guard. Her LinkedIn page describes her as a juris doctor candidate at Emory University and a legal extern at the Georgia House of Representatives Speaker’s Office. Also according to her LinkedIn page, she previously spent time as a legislative intern, an aide to state Rep. Mike Dudgeon, and a legal intern to Henry County Probate Court Judge Kelley S. Powell.

Once a foster kid, too?

“She (Jennifer Rosenbaum) seemed like a great person,” said state Rep. Mike Dudgeon, who employed Rosenbaum as a aide during the 2014 legislative session. “She seemed a very positive and up-and-coming person.”

Dudgeon said Rosenbaum had been a foster child herself.

Rosenbaum had announced herself as a candidate for Henry County’s District 1 commission seat. A Facebook page touting that candidacy has been taken down.

Roger Krause, who represents Laila’s biological parents Tessa Clendening and Anthony Daniel, called the toddler’s death tragic.

“My clients are grieving at the loss of their young daughter and, as of right now, wish for privacy in that process,” Krause wrote in an email.

During a brief Monday morning court appearance, Joseph Rosenbaum was granted a $10,000 bond. He was released Monday afternoon, Mull said. A Jan. 12 preliminary hearing was set for Jennifer Rosenbaum, whose bond will be addressed in Superior Court.”

Another dead child, another grim look at DFCS [Atlantic Journal Constitution 12/7/15 by Tyler Estep and Craig Schneider]

“Laila Marie Daniel was starved and beaten from June 13 through Nov. 17 when she died, according to warrants issued against her foster parents.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation conducted the autopsy on Daniel, 2, and the results are outlined in the arrest warrants of Jennifer Rosenbaum, 27, and her husband, Joseph Rosenbaum, 26.

The child suffered a transected pancreas Nov. 17, suffered internal bleeding and went into shock, according to the warrant. The injury was a “major contributing factor to the child’s death.”

GBI agents allege Jennifer Rosenbaum administered the blow to the child’s stomach, and described her hands as “deadly weapons.”

The autopsy showed “severe bruising” on the child’s back, face, legs and abdomen, and breaks of her arms and legs. The child was “injured about her body in its entirety.”

Rosenbaum also “failed to feed the child in quantities necessary to sustain an adequate body weight,” GBI alleges.

Daniel’s sister, Millie Place, 4, was also in the Rosenbaums’ care. Warrants allege Jennifer and Joseph Rosenbaum beat her, and that Jennifer Rosenbaum told her to tell people she fell down if they asked about her bruises.

Jennifer Rosenbaum, an Army National Guard veteran, law school student, community activist and announced candidate for Henry County commission, is charged with murder in Daniel’s death and aggravated assault and child cruelty of Place and Daniel. She is being held without bond in the Henry County Jail.

Her husband, Joseph Rosenbaum, is charged with child cruelty of the sisters and was granted a $10,000 bond Monday morning.

They are being represented by Corinne Mull, a Decatur attorney who specializes in child death and abuse cases.”

Warrant details injuries of sisters in foster care  [Henry Herald 12/7/15 by Kathy Jefcoats]

Update 2:“Jennifer Rosenbaum told the 911 operator that the toddler had been choking on some chicken. The blockage was out but the little girl’s breathing was slow and her eyes were rolled back into her head.

“I’m trying to do CPR. She keeps going white on me,” Rosenbaum told the operator. “I’m hoping I didn’t break her rib. I’ve been pushing hard. I don’t really know how to do this.”

That same 911 tape, obtained Tuesday by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, may well become a critical part of the criminal case involving Rosenbaum, who is charged with murder and child abuse in connection with the Nov. 17 death of 2-year-old Laila Marie Daniel.

The 911 tape is also emerging as a potentially key part of Rosenbaum’s defense. Her attorney, Corinne Mull, said on Tuesday that the force Rosenbaum used while applying the Heimlich maneuver and CPR compressions may well have caused a fatal injury to the child’s pancreas.

Warrants accuse Jennifer Rosenbaum of causing Laila’s death, in part, by hitting her in the abdomen “with such force the child’s pancreas was transected.” Authorities say the pancreas injury was a major factor in the girl’s death.

Mull told the AJC that Rosenbaum, an Emory University law student and candidate for a seat on the Henry County Commission, never abused the child. She also offered explanations for the child’s other injuries, such as broken bones and bruises as well as signs of malnourishment.

“A lot of the injuries were misread and misdated,” Mull said. “She would never do this.”

Rosenbaum, 27, of McDonough, was arrested Friday in connection with the death of Laila. Her husband, Joseph, was charged with two counts of child abuse.

The state Division of Family and Children Services had placed Laila and her 4-year-old sister in the care of the Rosenbaums, having removed the children from their parents’ home for safety concerns. Laila’s death has raised concerns about the wisdom of the state’s decision among some child welfare advocates.

But State Child Advocate Ashley Willcott took issue with the explanations offered by Rosenbaum’s attorney. She had trouble believing that maneuvers such as the Heimlich and CPR compressions would do such extensive damage to a child’s pancreas.

“It does not ring true,” Willcott said.

Then there is the long list of accusations – the broken bones, bruises, the injury to the pancreas, the signs of malnourishment, the assertion that both children were abused – that concern her.

Mull, the attorney for the Rosenbaums, said Laila’s broken bones in her legs and arms occurred before she came into the couple’s care. The attorney claims the Rosenbaums didn’t have custody of the children until late July. The warrants allege Laila’s abuse occurred between June 13 and the day of her death in November.

The bruises found on the child, she added, are the result of the efforts to revive her as well as the general bumps and bruises that occur to any toddler.

Mull said that DFCS caseworkers and those from other agencies regularly visited the Rosenbaum home during the three and a half months the girls were there.

As for the accusation that Laila was malnourished, she said, “I don’t know. My understanding is that the child ate tremendously. It may be possibly due to metabolic problems.”

Mull also commented on the authorites’ assertion that Laila’s sister also said she was abused. Mull said the children had been in other foster homes where there might have been problems. She said children can mix up exactly where and when such events occurred.

They can also be “easily led” to say things, she said.

“When you take in foster children you don’t know what’s in their history,” Mull said.

Mull said Jennifer Rosenbaum knew the girls’ parents. She said Rosenbaum, who had been a foster child herself, had led a life of achievement, having served in the military and worked for state lawmakers. She was working her way through Emory law schooland was dedicated to helping children, Mull said.

“She is pretty traumatized,” Mull said.

During the 911 call, the operator asks Rosenbaum to tell him every time the girl takes a breath, and she does. But the space between breaths gradually grows longer and longer.

Then the operator gives Rosenbaum instructions on how to perform CPR, tilting the child’s head back and pressing down on her chest.

“I’m doing it,” she said, and asked how close the paramedics were to the home.

The tape ends with sirens approaching the home on Lincoln Terrace in Henry County.

“Yes, I see them,” Rosenbaum tells the operator. “But she’s not breathing.””

911 tape revealing in foster child’s death [Atlantic Journal Constitution 12/8/15 by Tyler Estep and Craig Schneider]

Update 3:“A state child welfare caseworker and supervisor have been fired  following the death of a 2-year-old foster child in state custody, said a person with direct knowledge of the dismissal Wednesday.

State officials confirmed that caseworker Samantha White and supervisor Tamara Warner were fired on Dec. 2 because of policy violations. Those included problems with a background check on the woman caring for the girl in foster care. That woman, Jennifer Rosenbaum, is now charged with murder in the Nov. 17 death of little Laila Marie Daniel.

The state Division of Family and Children Services has struggled for years to straighten out problems with its handling of foster care children and families in crisis. The high-profile deaths of several children have highlighted issues such as lax oversight, poor training and understaffing.

Also on Wednesday, two of the girl’s relatives expressed objections to DFCS’ handling of the child’s case. Kim Smith, the girl’s great-aunt, said if DFCS had properly watched over Laila, she would be alive.

“I feel DFCS failed Laila,” Smith said. She added, “If the caseworker saw her on an ongoing basis, she would have obviously seen the weight loss and questioned the bruises.”

Henry County police arrested Jennifer Rosenbaum last week and charged her with murder and child abuse. Her husband, Joseph, was charged with two counts of child abuse. Authorities say the couple also abused Laila’s 4-year-old sister.

The Rosenbaums’ attorney, Corinne Mull, said the Rosenbaums never abused either girl. Mull said that Laila died after an incident in which she had been choking on some chicken. Mull said that the force of Rosenbaum’s compressions while performing the Heimlich maneuver and CPR may have damaged the child’s pancreas.

The arrest warrant says damage to the pancreas was a major factor in the child’s death, but it asserts that Rosenbaum had hit the child “with such force the child’s pancreas was transected.”

Mull explained the children’s other injuries as either occurring before the girls came to the Rosenbaums, or the result of the usual bumps and bruises of childhood.

Laila’s family members are struggling with her death and the circumstances surrounding it. Two relatives said there were signs that they now realize were indications that the child was being abused.

When The Atlanta Journal-Constitution contacted DFCS on Wednesday with information on the firings, agency spokeswoman Ashley Fielding responded with an email saying the two women were employed by the Henry County office of DFCS.

“They are no longer with the agency. Both were separated on December 2,” Fielding added. She said they left because of “failure to follow policy.”

For starters, when DFCS places a foster child with a person, the agency is supposed to check whether the person has a criminal history or any accusations against them of child abuse or neglect. The agency also inspects the home to make sure it’s a safe environment.

“We followed the standard background check, but it was not conducted as thoroughly as it was defined in policy,” Fielding said. She said the caseworker failed to screen Rosenbaum’s maiden name when determining whether she had a history of accusations of child abuse or neglect. Rosenbaum had no such history, Fielding said, so the check “would not have had an impact on the placement decision.”

There were other policy violations as well, Fielding said. The agency expects to discuss those when the case file is made public. Fielding said state law precludes the agency from discussing a case until the file is made public. The AJC has submitted an open records request to obtain those records and expects a response within the coming days.

The AJC was unable to reach the caseworker and supervisor by phone Wednesday evening.

State Child Advocate Ashley Willcott said while extra budget money has helped improve DFCS, some local offices remain in crisis.

Smith, Laila’s great-aunt, said DFCS removed Laila and her 4-year-old sister from their mother’s home around April. The mother had “addiction issues,” she said. The children were in two foster homes before coming to live with the Rosenbaums in mid-June.

By September, Smith started seeing bruises on Laila’s face. One time, Rosenbaum tried to explain a black eye, saying the child had gotten into a fight in day care. A few weeks later, Smith saw bruises under both of Laila’s eyes. Rosenbaum said the girl had tripped and fallen on a toy, hitting her head, Smith recalled.

Smith also noticed the child had started losing weight. According to the warrant, Jennifer Rosenbaum failed “to feed the child in quantities necessary to sustain an adequate body weight.”

In mid-October, Laila received a broken leg, Smith said, which Rosenbaum said had occurred during gymnastics.

“The little warning signs were there,” said Smith, who lives in Hampton.

She praised the firing of the two workers, but feels more needs to be done to fix DFCS.

Laila’s grandmother, Gina Banks, said she feels guilty for not doing more to recognize and address the signs of trouble.

“I’m in a major depression now,” Banks said.”

DFCS fires 2 workers after foster child’s death [Atlantic Journal Constitution 12/9/15 by Craig Schneider]

Update 4:“The original call for help said little Laila Marie Daniel had choked. Her family says they were told it was a chicken bone. But the arrest warrants obtained by WXIA say the 2-year-old foster child was actually denied food while in the care of Jennifer Rosenbaum, a Henry County Commission candidate and her husband.

According to arrest warrants Jennifer Rosenbaum struck Laila so hard in her abdomen that she sustained a transected pancreas. The affidavit reads, “the injury was stated by GBI personnel as being a major contributing factor to the child’s death.” The child is believed to have entered shock due to the blood loss resulting from that injury.

The affidavit goes on to say the Rosenbaums deprived Laila of “necessary sustenance to the extent that the child’s health or well-being was jeopardized, by failing to feed the child in quantities necessary to sustain an adequate body weight.” Bruising was also found on the girl’s neck, face, abdomen and legs. She also had broken bones in her arms and legs.

“We haven’t stopped crying. It’s just unbelievable,” said Laila’s grandmother, Gina Banks, outside the courthouse on Monday.

Banks says she called Laila her “fat baby” but in recent pictures, she could tell she was losing weight.

Joesph[sic] Rosenbaum is also accused of abusing Laila and her 4-year old sister, who was also living in the home. The 4-year-old was described as having injuries “about her body in its entirety (head, chest, abdomen, pelvis, back, arms and legs.)” She is believed to have testified to the abuse she and Laila endured.

According to the warrants, she was instructed to tell people she fell, if they asked about her injuries.

“Tessa (the mother) tried to called and have those children removed from the home because she thought it was unsafe. DFCS wasn’t listening. They said she was calling too many times,” said Banks.

A close family friend says the girls were taken from their mother after she tested positive for drugs and that this was not their first foster home.”

Attorney Corinne Mull says the Rosenbaums are being falsely accused.

“These are two very innocent people. Big mistake has been made and we intend to correct that mistake,” said Mull after the couple’s first court appearance. “They’ve been in abusive homes serially and there’s no telling where they were abused.”

On Monday, Jennifer Rosenbaum appeared in court for her first appearance on charges of murder, aggravated assault, two counts of cruelty to children in the first degree (causing excessive physical or mental pain) and second degree cruelty to children. She was denied bond until she can appear before a Superior Court judge. Joseph Rosenbaum is charged with two counts of cruelty to children causing excessive physical or mental pain in first degree. He was granted bond.

The Division of Family and Children Services could not comment on the case or statements made by the family that they had been contacted about their concerns for the girl’s safety. But the agency did release this statement:

“The number one priority of the Division of Family and Children Services is the safety of Georgia’s children. To that end, each of the Division’s policy and procedure is developed with the goal of ensuring children are safe and are with caregivers who will protect them and provide for them.

When the Division must work with the courts to remove a child from a home due to safety concerns, staff first look to relatives and other appropriate caregivers who are close to the family (sometimes called fictive kin) as potential placement resources for a child. Placing a child with relatives or caregivers who are close to the family is widely recognized as a best practice in child welfare that potentially limits trauma for children, because it offers a sense of stability in a turbulent time and allows a child to stay connected to his or her community. All potential placement resources must undergo a vigorous background review.

Because the safety of Georgia’s children in the Division’s number one priority, the Division seeks to learn from each child death. In the event that a child dies within five years of a prior agency intervention, a special review team conducts an in-depth analysis of agency involvement in the child’s life. The purpose of the review is to determine if agency policy and practice sufficiently support staff on the front lines as they make critical determinations that ensure children are safe and with caregivers who will protect them and provide for them. “

Warrant: Foster child died after beatings, starvation [13 Wmaz 12/8/15]

“Henry County District Attorney James Wright is reviewing whether one of his prosecutors intervened to help place a foster child with a former office intern, who is now charged with beating, starving and killing the little girl.

The DA said he is looking at whether assistant district attorney Mary Evans-Battle communicated with the state child welfare agency, and whether the contact was appropriate.

The agency placed 2-year-old Laila Marie Daniel with Jennifer Rosenbaum, who is charged with child abuse and murder in connection with the girl’s death Nov. 17.

Family members of the girl have raised concerns that Rosenbaum, who had served as an intern in the local court and state Legislature, received undue help in obtaining the girl.

Rosenbaum had served as an intern in the DA’s office under Battle last spring, Wright said.

“We’ll be looking at whether any recommendation was made, and whether it was appropriate or not,” Wright told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Monday. He added that, “I don’t have any indication that it was (inappropriate) at this point.”

Rosenbaum has a bond hearing today. Her husband, Joseph, who is charged with child abuse, was granted a $10,000 bond.

The state Division of Family and Children Services said Battle emailed the agency in June asking about the status of the agency’s home evaluation on Rosenbaum. Battle noted the prospective caregiver had been her intern, the agency said.

DFCS is looking into the matter.

“Henry County will follow up with ADA Ms. Battle re her involvement in terms of recommending and supervising (Rosenbaum),” said a Nov. 24 email from State Child Advocate Ashley Willcott to DFCS officials regarding the girl’s death.

The AJC obtained the email through the state open records law.

Relatives of the deceased girl raised concerns about Rosenbaum receiving help from people in high places. They said the email obtained by the AJC, noting involvement from the assistant district attorney, bolstered those worries.

“That’s high up,” the girl’s maternal grandmother, Gina Banks. “We’re just normal people.”

The AJC could not reach Battle by phone Monday. Battle played no formal role in the foster care case involving Laila.

Kim Smith, Laila’s great-aunt, has questioned whether DFCS properly vetted Rosenbaum before handing over Laila and her 4-year-old sister.

Following Laila’s death, DFCS said it fired both the caseworker and supervisor involved in the girl’s case. Officials cited problems with a background check on Rosenbaum and other policy violations.

Coroner Donald Cleveland said Laila died of “blunt force trauma to the abdomen.”

The arrest warrant for Jennifer Rosenbaum said she killed the girl by striking the child in the abdomen “with such force the child’s pancreas was transected. The child was believed to enter shock due to the blood loss resulting from the injury.”

Authorities say the girl was also malnourished, had bruises on her body and breaks in her arms and legs. The Rosenbaums also abused her sister, authorities said.

The Rosenbaums’ attorney, Corinne Mull, said the couple never abused the children. She said Laila died after Jennifer Rosenbaum applied the Heimlich maneuver and CPR to help the child while she was choking on some chicken. She said the force of the compressions may have caused the injury to the pancreas.

Mull attributed the children’s other injuries to either abuse prior to their stay with the Rosenbaums or the general bumps and bruises of childhood play.

Smith, the girl’s great-aunt, said the family was in Henry County court in about May when they ran into Rosenbaum. The girls had already been removed from their mother’s care.

Rosenbaum approached the family and said she had known their mother when they were both in foster care years ago. She said they had been good friends, Smith added.

“She said, ‘We’re willing to take both your girls,’ ” Smith said.

Smith said she has subsequently learned from the girl’s mother that she was not close with Rosenbaum, just acquaintances.”

DA reviewing staffer’s action in foster care case [Atlanta Journal Constitution 12/14/15 by Craig Schneider]

“Henry County Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS) has released a ten page report detailing the moments before 2-year-old Laila Marie Daniel died in the custody of her foster parents.

In the report, Jennifer Rosenbaum told the case manager that Daniel began chocking on a piece of chicken. Rosenbaum stated she tried to clear her airway, first with her fingers, but when that did not work she used a butter knife.

Rosenbaum can be heard in a 911 call being coached on how to perform CPR.

According to the report, Daniel entered foster care in April. Her parents were incarcerated, and her mother was a childhood friend of Rosenbaum’s.

An autopsy was completed and preliminary findings suggested Daniel’s death was due to abuse. The report states that the autopsy did not reveal the child choked.

Jennifer Rosenbaum was released from jail Wednesday on a $100k bond.

Two case workers have been separated from the agency over this case. ”

DFCS report: Foster mom used butter knife to clear airway of 2-year-old [WTOC 12/16/15 by La-Keya Stinchcomb]

“A state investigator said a foster mother’s status in society kept many from suspecting her of abusing a child who eventually died.

Two-year-old Leila Daniel died from injuries police said came from regular beatings.

“The baby had bruising all over her. She had a broken nose. That doesn’t just happen,” said Jillian Hill, the child’s former babysitter.

So why did Division and Family Services investigators miss the warning signs when it looks like there were so many of them?

CBS46 asked the state agency that investigates complaints about DFCS.

Georgia’s Director of the Child Advocate Office said caseworkers originally believed Jennifer Rosenbaum’s explanations because they were blinded by the foster mother’s status in society.

“People may choose to believe those people in authority and say, ‘Oh great, they’re a good caretaker,'” said Georgia Office of the Child Advocate Director Ashley Willcott. “They think people who have certain connections, or certain professional aspirations are not going to abuse or neglect children, and that simply isn’t true.”

Willcott said even people trained to spot child abuse may have this misconception.

“We also have to be cautious because if there are people of authority who are recommending people or say this person would be a good caretaker, and you don’t ask the next questions, well, that’s not enough information,” said Willcott.

Rosenbaum had references in high places, and Willcott said, it helped her avoid suspicion.

When Rosenbaum was a legal intern for the Henry County DA’s office, one of her staff sent e-mails to DFCS to remind them of Rosenbaum’s application to become a foster parent.

Some theorize Rosenbaum used her position in the juvenile courts to gain access to inside information.

A friend of the girl’s real mother recalls how Rosenbaum seemed to know the children needed a foster mother without anyone telling her.

“Tessa was there in court, and she said Jennifer just showed up. So I was wondering, ‘was Jennifer just hanging out in the courtroom?'” said Kellie Hatcher.

Right now the OCA is trying to decide if sweeping policy changes need to occur to prevent future problems, or if this was just an isolated incident of failure.”

State investigator: ‘Many blinded by foster mother’s status in society’
 [CBS 46 12/17/15 by Mandi Milligan and Dante Renzulli]

Update 5:”Autopsy results on the 2-year-old who died in state care challenge the account by the foster parent who is charged with killing her, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has found.

Jennifer Rosenbaum, who is charged in Henry County in connection with the death of Laila Marie Daniel, told authorities that the child had been choking on some chicken tenders. She said the force she used in performing CPR and the Heimlich maneuver may have caused the fatal injury to Laila’s pancreas.

But the autopsy performed by the GBI found no evidence that the child had been choking, according to records obtained by the AJC. The autopsy revealed the killing injury that split Laila’s pancreas in half, plus numerous internal injuries and broken bones she suffered over time.

The full autopsy results have yet to be released, beyond a statement indicating that Laila died of blunt force trauma to the abdomen. The AJC discovered the preliminary autopsy results while reviewing hundreds of pages in the case file on Laila, obtained through the state Open Records Act from the Division of Family and Children Services.

The file indicated that on Nov. 20, 2015, days after the girl’s death, the agency was briefed on the autopsy by Dr. Lora Darrisaw of the GBI’s medical examiner’s office.

The DFCS account of Darrisaw’s remarks contained these four words: “Laila did not choke.” Noting that the doctor had examined the girl’s esophagus and trachea, it added, “Both were clear of any obstruction and no trauma to the area.”

The autopsy results call into question Rosenbaum’s account of the Nov. 17 incident — that she may have inadvertently hurt Laila while trying to save the child’s life. Her attorney stood by that story Tuesday, saying that the autopsy results reflect that the blockage in her throat had been dislodged before the procedure.

“The police were shown the chicken in the sink and they took pictures of it and samples of saliva off the floor,” said attorney Corinne Mull. “So the reason the (medical examiner) did not find any blockage is because Jennifer had been successful in clearing it.”

Deaths of children in state foster care are rare, and Laila’s case has drawn national scrutiny to Georgia’s child protection agency.

DFCS removed Laila and her sister from their family’s care and placed them with Rosenbaum and her husband, Joseph, on July 24. The removal of a child from his or her family is among the ultimate exercises of the state’s power over individuals. Most often, the state removes children to protect them after they’ve been abused or neglected. So it is all the more surprising, and tragic, when a child dies while in the state’s care.

In this case, the agency placed the blond-haired child in the hands of Rosenbaum — an Army National Guard vet, law student and candidate for county office — who police say eventually beat, starved and killed the child.

Both Laila’s caseworker and her supervisor have been fired.

Rosenbaum has been charged with murder and child abuse. She was granted a $100,000 bond last month by Henry County Judge Arch McGarity, who also ordered her to wear an ankle-monitoring device. Her husband, also out on bond, has been charged with child abuse.

The arrest warrant for Jennifer Rosenbaum said she killed the girl by striking the child in the abdomen “with such force the child’s pancreas was transected. The child was believed to enter shock due to the blood loss resulting from the injury.”

Mull, Rosenbaum’s attorney, said the couple never abused the children. Mull attributed the children’s injuries to either abuse prior to their stay with the Rosenbaums or to the general bumps and bruises of childhood play.

According to the DFCS case file, Rosenbaum told DFCS officials that she had used her finger to try to dislodge the food that was blocking Laila’s airway. When that didn’t work, she used a butter knife to try to clear it, but Laila continued to struggle to breathe. Rosenbaum said she then called 911.

The autopsy results also raise questions concerning Rosenbaum’s account of another of Laila’s injuries. Rosenbaum had told the DFCS caseworker that the child broke her leg at gymnastics. The autopsy ruled out gymnastics as the cause for any of the child’s injuries.

After Laila’s death, further DFCS investigation discovered that Laila had not engaged in gymnastics.”

Autopsy challenges foster mom’s account of girl’s death [Atlanta Journal-Constitution 1/5/16 by Craig Schneider]

Update 6:”Jennifer Rosenbaum seems nothing like the people who are typically charged in the death of a child. She isn’t the drug-addled mother guilty of neglect, or the live-in boyfriend who lashes out, or the father who traps his child in his own mental illness.

She appeared to be a promising foster parent. A candidate for the Henry County Commission, Emory law student, and intern at the state Legislature and local juvenile court, the 27-year-old Rosenbaum had been a foster child herself.

Yet four months after Laila Marie Daniel arrived in Rosenbaum’s home the 2-year-old was dead, her abdomen struck with such force that her pancreas was transected. Rosenbaum would go on to be charged with her murder.”

Update 7:“Georgia’s Division of Family and Children Services quickly closed five abuse cases in seven months involving Eric Forbes. A year later, the 12-year-old was beaten to death. DFCS acknowledged errors – by two supervisors. The agency fired them.

DFCS decided not to investigate the fifth report in nine years that alleged abuse or neglect by the family of Emani Moss. When Emani, 10, was beaten to death, DFCS attributed oversights to six workers. It fired two of them and punished the other four.

“Failure to follow policy” by a DFCS caseworker and her supervisor led to the death of a 2-year-old foster child,Laila Marie Daniel, the agency said. Both employees lost their jobs.
Now, however, the agency is acknowledging that systemic failures have contributed to the deaths of children under its supervision. In a new report, DFCS cited “significant gaps” in its performance and said it needs to learn from the deaths it fails to prevent.Blame the individuals, not the system. That is how DFCS has reacted for years to obviously botched cases that ended with a child’s death – especially cases that attracted massive news coverage.

This acknowledgement represents the latest shift in how DFCS does business since Bobby Cagle became the agency’s director in 2014. He is implementing a new “practice model” that is intended to help caseworkers use better judgment in deciding whether to leave a child in a home where maltreatment has been alleged or to place the child in foster care. Cagle also will not allow workers to assess cases exclusively over the telephone.

Still, Cagle remains under pressure to improve DFCS.

“Everybody wants it done and done now,” he said last week in an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

State Rep. Katie Dempsey (R-Rome), chair of the House Human Resources  Appropriations Subcommittee, issued a statement today saying the AJC “highlights the continued focus we must maintain on caring for Georgia’s most vulnerable citizens. The death of any child is a tragedy beyond measure. However, a death that in hindsight may have been preventable is even more heartbreaking.”

She added: “This report only confirms our need to devote appropriate funding to support our DFCS system. We will work with our colleagues in the Senate to restore the cuts they made to the FY 16 Amended Budget for DFCS.”

DFCS to accept blame in children’s deaths [Atlantic Journal-Constitution blog 2/9/16 by Alan Judd]

Update 8:“Two former police officers have provided a gravestone for the little girl who authorities say was killed by her foster mother.

The men said they read the story on 2-year-old Laila Marie Daniel in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and were heartbroken that her final resting place had no headstone.

One of the men carves gravestones for a living, so they obtained a 120-pound stone marker, etched in the appropriate birth and death information, and placed it at the head of Laila’s grave in Berea Cemetery, a small graveyard in Hampton, Georgia.

“We did this at our own expense and will absolutely accept no payment for it. We did it solely for Laila,” said an email one of the men sent the AJC.

The stone includes a carving of a little girl on her knees in prayer, beside the saying, “In God’s care.”

The men have declined to be identified beyond their first names, Alan and Grady, saying they don’t want any credit or exposure.

Laila had only been in state foster care four months when she died Nov. 17.

Police say the girl was beaten to death by her foster mother, Jennifer Rosenbaum, who has been charged with murder and child cruelty. Her husband, Joseph Rosenbaum, has been charged with child cruelty.

The arrest warrant for Rosenbaum said she killed the girl by striking the child in the abdomen “with such force the child’s pancreas was transected. The child was believed to enter shock due to the blood loss resulting from the injury.”

Rosenbaum’s attorney, Corinne Mull, said the couple never abused the child.

She said Laila died after Rosenbaum performed the Heimlich maneuver and CPR when the child was choking on a chicken tender. The force of the compressions may have caused the injury to the pancreas, Mull said.

The girl’s death has cast a harsh light on the state Division of Family and Children Services, which placed her with Rosenbaum.

Laila’s family said they were surprised and grateful when they learned about the gravestone.

The girl’s great-grandmother, Peggy Banks, sent the men an email thanking them.”

“I am Laila’s great-grandmother and a lover of policemen everywhere,” Banks said. “I am greatly appreciative of what you have done. That our family tragedy touched you to this extent really touches me.”

She added, “Words cannot express how much your kindness is appreciated.””

Former cops provide gravestone for girl allegedly killed by foster mother

[WFTV 2/19/16 by Craig Schneider]

Update 9: “A Henry County judge dismissed a defense motion Wednesday to disqualify the district attorney from the murder case against Jennifer Rosenbaum.

Police say Rosenbaum beat to death the 2-year-old foster child in her care, Laila Marie Daniel.

Rosenbaum’s attorney, Corinne Mull, argued that DA James Wright had a contentious relationship with Rosenbaum when she was a legal intern in his office last year.

“What we are seeking is a fair trial, a fair investigation and a fair presentation to the grand jury,” Mull said.

Mull said the two had heated arguments and parted on bad terms, which would prejudice Wright against her.

Chief Assistant District Attorney Blair Mahaffee said Wright had very few conversations with Rosenbaum, none of which were contentious. In one, he cautioned her about the office policy to refrain from making political statements on social media.

Superior Court Judge Arch McGarity determined that the motion was “insufficient” and “did not rise to the level of disqualification.”

The DA expects to soon take the case before a grand jury. He is awaiting the formal autopsy on the child.

The judge said he did not expect the case, if indicted, would come to trial until next year, at which time the DA would have completed his term of office. Wright is not seeking re-election”

Judge refuses to disqualify prosecutor in child death case [AJC  3/23/16 by Craig Schneider]

Update 10:“A Henry County grand jury indicted two foster parents on murder charges Thursday in connection with the death of Laila Marie Daniel, a 2-year-old girl in their care.

Jennifer and Joseph Rosenbaum will face charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery and child cruelty in the Nov. 17 death of Laila, said District Attorney James Wright. Jennifer Rosenbaum, a former foster child herself, had been a candidate for the Henry County Commission.

The indictment was a surprise in that police had originally charged Joseph Rosenbaum with only child cruelty. These grand jury charges represent a significant escalation in the case against him.

Wright said the charges changed after the completion of the autopsy on the toddler, which he said revealed a history of injuries going back more than a month before her death.

“We cannot attribute the injuries sustained to just one of them,” Wright told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Thursday.

Authorities had originally said Jennifer Rosenbaum killed Laila Marie Daniel by striking the girl in the abdomen with such force that the child’s pancreas was split. Laila went into shock because of blood loss resulting from the injury, according to the autopsy.

Corinne Mull, the Rosenbaums’ attorney, has said Laila’s death was likely a tragic accident. Mull said the girl died after Jennifer Rosenbaum performed the Heimlich maneuver and CPR when the child was choking on some chicken. Mull said the force of the compressions may have injured the child.

The new charges may throw that scenario in question

Family reaction

The family of Laila welcome the charges against the Rosenbaums, having waited nearly a year for the legal process to proceed.

“The family is ready to get justice for Laila,” said the girl’s great-aunt Kim Smith. “I don’t believe it was an accident.”

Smith agreed with charging both foster parents with murder, pointing to what she believes is a history of abuse against the toddler.

“The whole picture is a cycle of abuse that went too far,” Smith said.

Laila had only been living with the Rosenbaums for four months when the incident occurred that caused her death. She was placed there by the state Division of Family and Children Services.

Authorities had earlier said there were indications that Laila was abused over time with the Rosenbaums. The warrant noted that Laila was “injured about her body in its entirety.”

The GBI had briefed DFCS on the preliminary results of the autopsy. “Laila had severe abdominal trauma over time, since being placed with the Rosenbaums,” said a DFCS summary of that briefing.

In January, The Atlanta Journal Constitution had reported that preliminary autopsy results on the girl challenged the account byJennifer Rosenbaum — in which she said she may have inadvertently hurt Laila while trying to save the child’s life.

Rosenbaum had told authorities that the child had been choking on some chicken tenders. She said the force she used in performing CPR and the Heimlich maneuver may have caused the fatal injury to Laila’s pancreas.

But the autopsy performed by the GBI found no evidence that the child had been choking, according to records obtained by the AJC. The preliminary autopsy results had noted the fatal injury that split Laila’s pancreas in half, plus numerous internal injuries and broken bones she suffered over time.

The full autopsy results have yet to be released to the public, beyond a statement indicating that Laila died of blunt force trauma to the abdomen. The AJC discovered the preliminary autopsy results while reviewing hundreds of pages in the DFCS case file on Laila, obtained through the state Open Records Act.

‘No evidence against either’

On Thursday, Mull reiterated that neither Jennifer nor Joseph Rosenbaum had ever abused Laila. She criticized the escalation of charges against Joseph Rosenbaum as an intimidation tactic against the couple, intended to apply pressure or pit one against the other.

“There is no evidence against either of them, particularly against him,” she said. Joseph Rosenbaum, she said, was not even in the house when the Nov. 17 incident occurred.

In addition, Mull stood by the story that Laila likely died after Rosenbaum performed the Heimlich maneuver and CPR when the child was choking on some chicken. She has said the police were shown the chicken in the sink and they took pictures of it and samples of saliva off the floor. The reason the autopsy did not find any blockage is because Jennifer had been successful in clearing it, she said.

Jennifer Rosenbaum’s sister, Lauren Banks, said she was disappointed by the additional charges. “All the friends and family stand behind Jennifer and Joseph, and we’re confident in the end we’ll come out with a not guilty verdict.”

She reiterated her belief that the Rosenbaums loved both Laila and the child’s sister, who was also with the couple, and never abused them.

“They did so much for the girls. They gave them everything they asked for. They had a kid’s dream bedroom and playroom,” she said. “The girls even called Jennifer mom.””

Foster parents indicted in death of little Laila Marie Daniel[The Atlantic Constitution 9/15/16 by Craig Schneider]

Update 11:“Joseph Rosenbaum is in the Henry County Jail awaiting a bond hearing after he was arrested Friday afternoon on new charges related to the death of a foster child in his care.

Rosenbaum was indicted by a Henry County Grand Jury Sept. 15 along with his wife, Jennifer Rosenbaum, on charges of malice murder, two counts of felony murder, two counts of cruelty to children in the first degree and aggravated battery. The two are charged in Nov. 17 death of 2-year-old Laila Marie Daniel.

Joseph Rosenbaum was originally arrested and charged in December with child cruelty, while Jennifer Rosenbaum had been charged with murder, aggravated assault and child cruelty. They both had been released on bond in December.

Since the September indictment heightened Joseph Rosenbaum’s charges to murder, a warrant was re-issued for the new charges, which resulted in his arrest Friday.

He was originally scheduled for a bond hearing Monday afternoon, but it has been rescheduled to 1:30 p.m Wednesday.

On Nov. 17, Jennifer Rosenbaum, who was 27 years old at the time, called 911 to report that Daniel had choked on a piece of chicken. She told the dispatcher she hoped she hadn’t hurt the child during the CPR attempts.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s autopsy revealed, though, there was “severe bruising” on the Daniel’s back, face, legs and abdomen, and she had fractures in her arms and legs. The 2-year-old was also malnourished, according to the report.

The autopsy report further stated Daniel suffered a transected pancreas that November day, which resulted in internal bleeding, causing her to go into shock. The injury was a “major contributing factor to the child’s death,” according to the arrest warrants.

Jennifer Rosenbaum is still out on bond, however a petition, “Justice for Laila; Revoke Bond,” started up just days after the indictment was issued, seeking to revoke the Rosenbaums’ bond.

They are expected to appear in court Nov. 22 for an arraignment under Superior Court Judge Brian Amero, who will also be presiding over the bond hearing.”

Joseph Rosenbaum awaits bond hearing for death of foster child[Henry Herald 9/27/16 by Asia Ashley]

“A Henry County man charged with beating and killing a 2-year-old foster child in his care was granted bond Wednesday, angering the girl’s family who wanted him to remain in jail.

Foster father granted bond in death of little Laila[Atlanta Journal-Constitution 9/28/16 by Craig Schneider]

Update 12:“Two foster parents charged with murder after a 2-year-old girl in their care died last year pleaded not guilty in a Henry County courtroom Tuesday morning.

A grand jury indicted Joseph and Jennifer Rosenbaum on charges of malice murder, two counts of felony murder, first-degree cruelty to children and aggravated battery in September.

The Rosenbaums’ attorney told 11Alive News in September the couple did not kill their foster child, 2-year-old Laila Marie Daniel.

An autopsy disputed choking as a cause of Laila’s death, and revealed she had suffered several injuries — including broken bones. The report showed she had suffered a transected pancreas on the day she died.

Defense attorney Corrine Mull said Laila’s pancreas could have been injured during attempts by Jennifer and EMTs to revive her. Other injuries, she said, could have occurred in other foster homes.

Mull insisted the case revealed the failures of state Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) workers during the months they were supposed to be supervising Laila’s foster care, but who did not intervene in time to save her.

DFCS records showed Laila spent time in three foster homes before she died. Other reports indicate the DFCS case worker assigned to Laila’s care repeatedly “failed to adequately assess impending and present dangers,” missing “multiple critical red flags” in relation to her case. At least two DFCS employees were dismissed for violations in connection with the case.”

One year ago, Jennifer Rosenbaum called 911, saying that Laila was choking on a piece of chicken.”

“The charges include alleged offenses against another foster child, Laila’s older sister Millie Place.”

“Both defendants are out on bail.

Jennifer Rosenbaum, 27, was arrested Dec. 4 on the charges and released on $100,000 bail.

Her husband Joseph Rosenbaum, 26, was arrested the same day on cruelty to children charges and released on $10,000 bail.”

“No trial date is listed.”

McDonough couple plead not guilty in child murder case [South Metro Neighbor 11/22/16 by Noreen Cochran]

Update 13: “A Henry County judge has set a trial date for Jennifer and Joseph Rosenbaum, the foster parents accused of killing a 2-year-old girl in their care.

Update 14: “Prosecutors are turning up the heat against Jennifer Rosenbaum, the Henry County woman charged with killing her 2-year-old foster child. They have added several charges against her, even as they have reduced the severity of charges against her husband.

Three months before the trial, prosecutors re-indicted the couple Thursday. The new charges signal a shift in the prosecution to focus the harshest murder accusations against Jennifer Rosenbaum.

Her husband, Joseph Rosenbaum, is no longer charged with malice and felony murder in the death of 2-year-old Laila Marie Daniel, as he was in the initial indictment. He is charged with murder in the second degree because, prosecutors say, he left the child in his wife’s care after he knew she was abusing the girl.

Jennifer Rosenbaum is still charged with malice and felony murder, and both face multiple charges of child cruelty, aggravated assault and aggravated battery.

The revised charges mark the latest turn in a case that has slogged its way through the justice system. Authorities say little Laila Marie died Nov. 17, 2015, of a blunt-force blow to her abdomen that ruptured her pancreas.

Jennifer Rosenbaum, herself a former foster child, reportedly told her attorney that Laila died after the child began choking on a piece of chicken and Rosenbaum performed the Heimlich maneuver. She and her husband have said they are not guilty.

The case has drawn widespread attention, not only because foster parents are rarely charged with killing a child, but also because Jennifer Rosenbaum was a law student and candidate for county commission.

The case was already moving slowly when the Henry County district attorney recused himself early this year due to a conflict of interest in his office. Jennifer Rosenbaum was an intern in the DA’s office when she met Laila. Her interest in becoming the toddler’s foster parent was sparked during those encounters.

The prosecution has since been handled by the district attorneys of Cobb and DeKalb counties.

“The case was re-indicted based upon our review of the case file after having been appointed as special prosecutors on the case,” they said in an email statement Tuesday. They declined further comment.

Prosecutors escalated the number of charges against couple from seven to 39. The new charges do not so much add accusations as they divide broad charges into more specific ones. For example, a prior charge of cruelty to children asserted the couple inflicted “blunt impact injuries” on the little girl’s body. The new charges break that down into individual counts for separate body parts, such as her torso and abdominal area.

Corinne Mull, the couple’s defense attorney, said this latest development is a sign of desperation by the prosecution.

“They are throwing everything at the wall hoping something sticks,” Mull said of the additional charges. “It muddies the water. It makes it easier to get a conviction when they don’t have a case.”

As for the reduced charges against Joseph Rosenbaum, Mull said she believes prosecutors initially charged him with murder to pressure him to turn on his wife.

“They have reduced the charges against Joseph mightily, which shows that they had no case against him all this time,” she said.

The charges assert that the couple abused Laila Marie and her young sister in the later months of 2015.

The new charges lighten the burden on prosecutors in that they need not prove malice and felony murder against Joseph Rosenbaum, said Scott Key, a metro Atlanta criminal defense attorney not involved in the case.

“The state’s theory is that the foster mom struck the fatal blow,” Key said.

He said the sheer number of charges could make it easier to gain a conviction, as the jury will have more to chose from. It also creates a greater burden on the defense to shoot down each charge.

Such legal maneuvers are common, Key said, adding the high number of charges presents a “shock factor” for jurors.”The person appears guiltier,” he said.

Mull, the defense attorney, said, “My clients are not intimidated. I am not intimidated.”

The trial is set to begin Oct. 30.”

Murder prosecution focuses on foster mom in toddler’s death

[The Atlantic Journal-Constitution 8/8/17 by Craig Schneider]

Update 15: “Laila Marie Daniel’s foster parents said she choked on a chicken bone, but the autopsy results revealed otherwise. Now the Rosenbaums are having their case heard by the Georgia Supreme Court

Jennifer and Joseph Rosenbaum were indicted on multiple charges after the November 2015 death of 2-year-old, Laila.

The autopsy revealed the toddler suffered several injuries, possibly during the time she was in the Rosenbaums’ care. The report also stated that Laila died primarily because she suffered a transected pancreas the day of her death.

The case drew scrutiny after it revealed failures of Laila’s state Division of Family and Children Services workers. During the several months, they were supposed to be supervising Laila’s foster care but allegedly did not intervene in time to save her. They were eventually fired.

In 2015, authorities released the 911 call that Jennifer placed on that fatal day.

“I have a toddler, a foster daughter who was choking,” she says in the call. “I tried to do the Heimlich on her. She’s still breathing but it doesn’t look good.”

The 911 dispatcher assures her that help is on the way and then starts instructing her in CPR and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

“I hope I didn’t break her rib, I’ve been pushing hard,” Rosenbaum says. “I don’t know how to do this.”

However, the arrest warrant stated that Laila was denied food and both she and her sister, who was 4 years old at the time, were beaten. The GBI medical examiner said a major contributing cause for Laila’s death was a blow so hard, it transected her pancreas causing her severe blood loss.

Foster parents still insist toddler choked on chicken bone as case heads to Ga. Supreme Court

[11 Alive 8/6/18 by Donesha Aldridge ]

Update 16: “The Rosenbaums were Laila Daniel’s foster parents when they said she choked on a chicken bone Nov. 17, 2015. However, the autopsy told a different story. The medical examiner ruled she died from abuse and had sustained a number of injuries during her time with the Rosenbaums, including:

Transected pancreas
Severe blood loss
Broken bones in arms and legs
Bruising on neck, face, abdomen, legs
Inadequate nutrition

In the arrest warrants, police say Jennifer Rosenbaum struck Laila so hard shortly before her death that she sustained a transected pancreas. The warrant says “the injury was stated by GBI (Georgia Bureau of Investigation) personnel as being a major contributing factor to the child’s death.”

The Rosenbaums, meanwhile, calim Laila choked while eating chicken at their home.

On the day of the toddler’s death, Jennifer Rosenbaum contacted a case manager with the Deptartment of Family and Child Services (DFCS). She told the case manager that she tried to dislodge the food when Laila began choking on it. According to the report from DFCS, Jennifer told the case manager she “then used a butter knife to try to push the chicken down, but was unsuccessful, as Laila continued to choke.”

The Rosenbaums’ defense attorney, Corrine Mull, said Laila’s pancreas could have been injured during attempts by Jennifer and paramedics to revive her. And the other injuries could have occurred in previous foster homes.

It’s a case that revealed the failures of Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) workers who were overseeing Laila’s care. A report found they did not intervene during questionable circumstances for several months before Laila died. They were eventually fired.

Jennifer Rosenbaum is facing a number of charges including murder, aggravated assault, and cruelty to children. Jason Rosenbaum is also facing several charges including cruelty to children in the first degree

On the surface, the Rosenbaums seemed ideal foster parents for Laila and her sister. Jennifer worked for the Henry County District Attorney’s Office and was running for a seat on the Henry County Commission.

Laila’s mother knew Jennifer Rosenbaum from their time as foster children together. That’s how the mother chose the Rosenbaums for temporary custody of her children.

Neighbors said they were stunned by the charges. Craig Rozar said he’d seen Laila playing in the family’s yard and saw no evidence of trauma.

“I don’t believe anything happened or they did anything wrong” Rozar said. “Let the justice system set it out. But, I’d really be surprised if anything happened.”

Laila and her sister lived with the Rosenbaums for five months before Laila’s death.

Because of Jennifer Rosenbaum’s connection to the Henry County District Attorney’s Office, prosecutors from another county are handling the case.

In March of this year, the Georgia Supreme Court ruled the prosecution cannot use evidence from the Rosenbaum’s electronic devices. The court said the delay between the seizure of the devices and the search violated the couple’s fourth amendment rights against unreasonable search and seizure.

Jury selection begins Monday, July 8.”

Foster parents claim she died choking on a chicken bone. 4 years later, their murder trial is finally set to begin.

[11 Alive 7/3/19 by Becky Kellogg]

Update 17:“Jury selection began Monday afternoon for the former Henry County foster parents accused in the 2015 death of a 2-year-old in their home. ”

Jennifer and Joseph Rosenbaum are accused in the death of 2-year-old Laila Daniel
[Atlanta Journal-Constitution 7/8/19 by Alexis Stevens]

“The foster parents of 2-year-old Laila Marie Daniel are on trial for allegedly killing her. Prosecutors in McDonough, Georgia are treating mother Jennifer Rosenbaum as being more responsible. She faces charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, cruelty to children in the first-degree, cruelty to children in the second-degree, and aggravated battery. This amounts to a possible life sentence. Father Joseph Rosenbaum faces murder in the second-degree, cruelty to children in the first-degree, cruelty to children in the second-degree, aggravated assault, and aggravated battery. He could face up to 30 years for the murder charge.

Authorities said Daniel died November 17, 2015. Her parents tried to pass this off as an accidental death, prosecutors said. They claimed that she choked on a chicken bone, but the autopsy showed that blunt force trauma to her abdomen ruptured her pancreas. She had been injured all over her body, authorities said.

911 call audio shows Jennifer Rosenbaum saying she was doing CPR, and voicing hope that she didn’t break the child’s rib in this process.

“I don’t know how to do this,” she said.

The Henry County District Attorney’s Office recused from the case because Jennifer Rosenbaum was an intern. Prosecutors were brought in from Cobb and Dekalb County to take over.”

Jennifer and Joseph Rosenbaum Tried in Death of 2-Year-Old Daughter Laila
[Law and Crime 7/10/19 by Alberto Luperon]

Update 18:“It seemed like a blessing to Tessa Daniel.

A woman she vaguely remembered from her childhood was offering to care for her two young daughters, at least until Daniel could get her life on track.

Jennifer Rosenbaum had at one time been in a children’s shelter with Daniel. She and her husband, Joseph seemed like good, caring people, Daniel testified Thursday in a Henry County courtroom.

“I figured that she couldn’t mean nothing bad,” Daniel said. “I figured she had to have good intentions if she reached out like that.”

Four months later, her 2-year-old daughter, Laila, was dead.

On Nov. 17, 2015, Jennifer Rosenbaum called 911 to report that Laila choked while eating a chicken nugget. Rosenbaum said she used the Heimlich maneuver and then CPR on Laila, who later died.

But paramedics noted bruising on Laila’s body. And an autopsy revealed the child suffered a blow to her abdomen that ruptured her pancreas. She also had other internal injuries and broken bones suffered over time, according to GBI medical examiners. There was no evidence she had choked, the autopsy revealed.

Two weeks after Laila’s death, the Rosenbaums were arrested and charged in the toddler’s death.

Jennifer Rosenbaum faces malice and felony murder charges, as well as child cruelty, aggravated assault and aggravated battery. Joseph Rosenbaum is charged with second-degree murder for allegedly leaving Laila in his wife’s care when he knew she was abusing the child. Both have pleaded not guilty and are out on bond.

Testifying Thursday, Daniel — who previously went by the last name Clendening — said she began to suspect something wasn’t right soon after Laila and her big sister Millie moved in with the Rosenbaums in July 2015.

Daniel said Rosenbaum told her Laila was often sick, requiring doctor visits, and broke her leg during gymnastics. Rosenbaum often canceled Daniel’s planned visits with her youngest child, she testified. Rosenbaum sent the girls’ mother many pictures, but very few of Laila.

In her cross-examination, defense attorney Corinne Mull attempted to show that the girls were well-cared for while in the care of the Rosenbaums. Mull also questioned Daniel about whether she was responsible for cancelling the visits with her girls. Sometimes, Daniel said, she did cancel the meetings because she was ill and pregnant with her third child.

Daniel told the court she had drug problems, and wasn’t able to give the girls a stable home. Her daughters lived with relatives and friends before the Department of Family and Children Services stepped in.

Following Daniel’s testimony, several other witnesses were called to the stand Thursday afternoon, including several people who took care of Laila.

Cynthia Tate, who knew Daniel and her mother from a job at medical office, testified that she began caring for Laila two days after her first birthday. Tate testified that Laila showed no signs of abuse and was healthy while in her home.

Mull asked Tate whether she was aware that Vitamin C caused Laila to develop rashes. Tate replied that she hadn’t given the child Vitamin C and wasn’t aware of the rashes.

Tate was shown pictures of Laila’s injuries at the time of her death. A prosecutor asked Tate if she had ever seen those type of bruises on Laila when she took care of her.

“No sir,” she said, while wiping away tears.

John Potts, a pediatrician, also testified Thursday afternoon that his office saw Laila four times. Potts said he never saw signs of abuse on Laila’s body or Millie’s.

The trial will continue Friday morning.”

Tessa Daniel later questioned her daughters’ care with the Rosenbaums
[Atlanta Journal Constitution 7/11/19 by Alexis Stevens]

“The trial of a couple accused of killing their 2-year-old foster child got emotional in Henry County today as jurors heard from the girl’s older sister.

Jennifer and Joseph Rosenbaum are accused of killing Laila Daniel in 2015. Friday was day five of the trial.

Jurors first heard from Amanda Harrill, who adopted Laila’s older sister, Millie, after Laila’s death. Harrill told the court Millie would sometimes bring up her time with the Rosenbaums.

“One of them being that she and Laila would get in trouble if they fell asleep in the car, and they would receive spankings,” Harrill said.

Jurors then heard from Millie. Prosecutors asked her about when she lived with the Rosenbaums.

She said she was 5 at the time. Millie told jurors both she and her sister would get spankings from Jennifer Rosenbaum for things like not getting dressed fast enough. Millie told the jury Jennifer would use her hand and sometimes a belt to discipline both her and her sister. The little girl told the court that Joseph Rosenbaum would not intervene.

Larita Brown told jurors she was the girls’ first foster parent in 2015. She says Lalia was a joy to be around.

“She was a sweetheart. She was always clinging to me, hanging on my toes, laughing. If you were trying to go, she is going to run out the house behind you,” says Brown.

Brown told the jury when she first met Jennifer Rosenbaum, that she told her she knew Lalia and her sister’s biological mother.

“(Jennifer) said her and Tessa (Laila’s birth mom) were in foster care together. She said they didn’t get along at first, but they became friends. Then when she found out (Tessa’s) kids were in care, she wanted to give back,” says Brown.

The jury also heard from the woman who approved whether or not the couple could foster the girls. She told the court they never attended the required classes to become foster parents.

Before witnesses took the stand Friday, there was an issue with a sleeping juror who asked the judge to be dismissed. The judge denied that juror’s request.

Court resumes on Monday. ”

Slain toddler’s sister testifies against former foster parents in murder trial

[WSBTV 7/12/19 by Lauren Pozen]

“Michelle Chapman, a friend of the family, took the stand Wednesday afternoon and testified she took care of Laila and Millie in 2014. She said she met the girls and Tessa one afternoon and, when asked by Tessa to take care of the children, she took custody of them on the same day.

She said both girls were happy and healthy during their time with her. When asked if the girls had any marks or bruises from rough housing, she said no.

“She (Laila) didn’t have a marking on her. Ever,” said Chapman.

Cynthia Tate took the stand and testified she cared for Laila during 2014. Tate began taking care of the toddler after Tessa Daniel’s mother asked to keep her for a few days. Those few days turned into a few months. Eventually, DFCS took custody of Laila.

Tate said Laila never had any medical issues while she was with her.

A pediatrician was the final witness to take the stand Wednesday. He treated Laila before she stayed with the Rosenbaums. He said he saw no signs of ill health or abuse.

When shown autopsy photos of Laila’s injuries after her death and asked if he saw any marks similar to that when he treated Laila, his response was ‘No.’

Upon cross examination, the pediatrician was asked if the bruises from Laila’s autopsy photo could be caused from a child sliding down a ladder.

“I would think it would be from some type of abuse but I can’t rule it out,” testified Dr. John Potts.

The trial is expected to last 3-4 weeks.”

Facebook messages, phone recordings introduced as Laila Daniel’s mom testifies in foster parents murder trial
[11 Alive 7/11/19 by Becky Kellogg]

Update 19:“Two Department of Family and Children Services workers testified in Henry County Superior Court Monday morning in the murder trial of Jennifer and Joseph Rosenbaum.

The workers detailed how the department did not screen the Rosenbaums properly before they were given custody of 2-year-old Laila Daniel.

Laila died in November 2015, while she and her sister were foster children of the Rosenbaums. Jennifer Rosenbaum said Laila choked on a piece of chicken but an autopsy shows the toddler had numerous injuries and bruises on her arms, legs, torso, and head.

The medical examiner ruled that Laila ultimately died from internal bleeding caused by a transected pancreas. Jennifer Rosenbaum said the injuries occurred when she tried to perform CPR and other life-saving maneuvers while Laila was choking.

The highlight of Monday morning’s testimony was the testimony of two DFCS caseworkers who took the stand and detailed mistakes made by their department in connection with the case.

In her testimony, Ebony Taylor, a supervisor with DFCS, said the Rosenbaums never should have been allowed to be foster parents.

“My staff did not screen Mrs. Rosenbaum’s maiden name,” said Taylor. “Had she been screened under her maiden name, her foster care record would have come up and I would not have approved her based on that.”

Taylor also said the home evaluation done on the Rosenbaums was signed by someone who was not authorized to sign it.

Tamera Smith, a former DFCS employee, also testified. She supervised the caseworker who was assigned to Laila and was responsible for home visits with the girl and the Rosenbaums.

Smith said Laila’s caseworker never told her Laila she had a broken bone. She said the caseworker, Samantha White, was inexperienced and she was concerned about that.

Smith was terminated from DFCS in relation to Laila’s case. She testified on the stand that she is currently a defendant in a civil lawsuit regarding Laila’s death.

Also testifying this morning was Alexis Battle. She is the daughter of Jennifer Rosenbaum’s supervisor when she was an intern at the Henry County District Attorney’s office. Battle said she was a teenager and helped out at the Rosenbaums when they hosted a birthday party for Millie, Laila’s older sister.

She relayed an instance at the party during which she says Laila was disciplined for misbehaving:

(Alexis Battle, witness): Miss Jennifer popped (spanked) the littlest one… Laila.

(Daysha Young, prosecutor): Where did she pop her?

(Battle): On her butt.

(Young): What did she pop her with?

(Battle): Her hand.

(Young): After that what did Laila do?

(Battle): She started crying.

Jennifer Rosenbaum’s best friend, Whitney Kimble, took the stand as the final witness of the morning. She told the court she lived with the Rosenbaums and the girls for a week. She said neither girls had any injuries other than routine bruises from playing and a diaper rash.

“They got along great with her,” Kimble said. “They were openly communicating, hugging her, just talking.”

‘Karma was a b&^%$’

Jordan Hall, a neighbor of the Rosenbaums, testified about a conversation she had with Jennifer shortly before she gained custody of Laila Daniel.

“(Jennifer) said the mother was a meth addict and karma was a b*&^% because now she was going to be taking care of those meth children,” testified Hall.

Hall said she felt that was an inappropriate thing to say about children. Hall’s mother told the same story as her daughter when she took the stand.

Jordan Hall said she never saw the children outside during the time they stayed with the Rosenbaums. Her mother, a nurse, testified Jennifer asked her advice after one of the girls was injured. She said the girl had “raccoon eyes,” which indicated an older injury not the recent one Jennifer described. She said she was suspicious Laila and Millie were being abused and testified she contacted medical staff and law enforcement about her suspicions.

Laila’s great grandmother fights for Laila

Laila’s great grandmother took the stand for the majority of Tuesday afternoon. She painted a picture of instability that surrounded Laila and her sister for the majority of their lives. They went from home to home, sometimes staying people their mother barely knew, for much of their early years.

Peggy Banks was one piece of stability in the girl’s lives. At different times, Banks kept one or both children. She tried to keep the girls long-term but her senior living community does not allow children. At that point, Banks had to give up custody of the children and they went into the foster care system shortly thereafter.

Banks was initially excited about the Rosenbaums as foster parents for Laila and Millie.

“Well it looked good on paper,” testified Banks, referring to the Rosenbaum’s qualifications to be foster parents.

Banks says Jennifer Rosenbaum started limiting her visitation with the girls or cancelling them altogether. Banks said she became concerned about Laila and Millie after seeing bruises on them. At that point, Banks asked the Homeowner’s Association in her Senior Living Center for permission to keep the girls. They said she could keep the children in their home for as long as two years. Banks said Laila died before she could talk to DFCS about gaining custody of the girls.

Jennifer and Joseph Rosenbaum are facing 49 charges including murder, child cruelty and aggravated assault. Both have pleaded not guilty and are out on bond.

Last week Laila’s biological mother and sister took the stand to testify. The sister, who is currently 7 years old, said she and Laila suffered spankings with belts at the hands of the Rosenbaums. Laila’s mother testified about her concerns the girls were being abused by their foster parents.

This past weekend would have been Laila’s sixth birthday.

Mistakes made by DFCS workers are focus of Rosenbaum foster child murder trial
[11 Alive 7/15/19 by Becky Kellogg]

“The day Laila Marie Daniel died while in the care of her foster mother, her older sister was bruised all over her body, experts testified Thursday.

“She had bruising, but nowhere as extensive as Laila,” said Julie Espinosa, a nurse who worked at Piedmont Henry Hospital at the time, from the witness stand. Laila was 2 when she died. Her sister Millie, then 4, said Laila had been “asleep for a while” before paramedics and police arrived to the girls’ foster home in November 2015, Espinosa testified.

Former foster parents Jennifer and Joseph Rosenbaum are on trial in Henry County. She faces charges of malice and felony murder, child cruelty, aggravated assault and aggravated battery. He is charged with second-degree murder, accused of leaving Laila in his wife’s care when he allegedly knew she was abusing the child.

Jennifer Rosebaum dialed 911 on Nov. 17, 2015, to report that Laila was choking on a chicken nugget. She then began administering CPR and the Heimlich maneuver, according to her defense attorney.

But paramedics noticed Laila had extensive bruising on her tiny body. An autopsy revealed the child suffered a blow to her abdomen that ruptured her pancreas. She also had other internal injuries and broken bones suffered over time, according to medical examiners at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. There was no evidence she had choked, an autopsy revealed.

After Laila’s death, Jennifer Rosenbaum described the supposed choking incident to Henry County detectives in an interview that was recorded and played in court Thursday afternoon. She told the detectives that Laila had broken her leg at a gymnastics center and had fallen off a bed. Employees at the gymnastics center have testified that Laila was never enrolled in a class.

The Rosenbaums were arrested and charged two weeks after Laila died. Their attorney, Corinne Mull, has argued that Laila’s death was an accident and that her injuries resulted from the life-saving measures Jennifer Rosenbaum attempted.

After Laila was pronounced dead at Piedmont Henry Hospital, medical staff alerted police of the child’s suspicious injuries, Espinosa said. Nurses also examined Millie, who also had been in the Rosenbaums’ care.

Espinosa and an investigator from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta testified that bruises of varying stages of healing and consistent with child abuse were found on Millie’s hip, head, arm and back. A detective photographed them. Later the evening Millie was examined, detectives executed a search warrant at the Rosenbaums’ home.

On Friday, the lead Henry County detective in the case is expected to return to the witness stand. Millie has been placed with other foster parents.”

Millie, then 4, told hospital nurse Laila had been ‘asleep for a while’
[AJC 7/18/19 by Alexis Stevens]

Update 20:“Injuries to a 2-year-old who died in 2015 while in foster care weren’t accidental, a pediatrician who specializes in child abuse testified Friday afternoon.

“The overall picture is physical abuse,” Dr. Stephen Messner with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta said.

Laila Marie Daniel would have turned 6 last week, but lived just a few months after turning 2. Her former foster parents, Jennifer and Joseph Rosenbaum, are on trial in Henry County. She faces charges of malice and felony murder, child cruelty, aggravated assault and aggravated battery. He is charged with second-degree murder, accused of leaving Laila in his wife’s care when he allegedly knew she was abusing the child. The trial resumed Monday morning.

Laila’s body was extensively bruised and showed internal injuries, investigators found. Messner told jurors the toddler had loop-shaped bruising, typical from being struck by a belt or cord, as well as round bruises, indicative of being struck with a fist.

Laila’s sister Millie, then 4, also had injuries consistent with abuse, including thinning hair around her ears, Messner said. Millie now lives with other foster parents.

Friday marked the end of the second week of the Rosenbaums’ trial. Witnesses have included medical professionals, social services employees and detectives. The trial is expected to last through this week.

Jurors on Friday saw pictures of Laila and Millie, showing various injuries. Laila had a suspected burn across her stomach that was healing, as well as bruising on her genitalia and inner thigh. More than half of her skin was missing on one of the ears, Messner testified. The injuries were likely not the results of accidental falls or from CPR or the Heimlich Maneuver, he added.

Also Friday, jurors heard an interview detectives had with Millie after Laila’s death. Millie told detectives she and her sister were spanked.

“All (Laila) did was cry because she didn’t know how to speak,” Millie, told detectives at the time.

Earlier this week, a doctor testified that one month before she died, Laila showed up a pediatric orthopedist’s office with a broken leg.

Dr. Shawn Duxbury told jurors that he’d urged Jennifer Rosenbaum to get Laila to an emergency room right away. Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston physicians were ready to treat Laila, Duxbury said. But Jennifer Rosenbaum never took Laila to them, he said.

“If your child has a broken leg or injury, isn’t using the leg, you would expect you would take them to a provider quickly,” Duxbury testified.

Jennifer Rosenbaum dialed 911 on Nov. 17, 2015, saying Laila was choking on a chicken nugget, then said she attempted CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver.

Responding paramedics noticed Laila was bruised from head to toe. Medical staff members at Piedmont Henry Hospital saw the injuries and called police.

An autopsy showed no evidence that Laila had choked, but did reveal she had suffered a blow to her abdomen that ruptured her pancreas. Laila’s remains showed internal injuries and broken bones she suffered over time, according to Georgia Bureau of Investigation medical examiners.

The Rosenbaums were arrested and charged two weeks after Laila died.”

Foster parents trial: Child abuse doctor says girls’ injuries prove physical abuse
[Atlanta Journal Constitution 7/22/19 by Alexis Stevens]

Update 21:“Laila Marie Daniel is the 2-year-old girl who died in state foster care. The woman who was caring for her, Jennifer Rosenbaum, is charged in the murder of the child.

Two-year-old Laila Daniel died from multiple blunt-force injuries to her abdomen that caused extensive internal bleeding, a GBI medical examiner testified Monday. And the child’s autopsy revealed no signs she had choked, according to Dr. Lora Darrisaw.

“I can say in Laila’s autopsy, based upon everything that I did, it’s most consistent with the trauma having taken place around an hour before the symptoms,” Darrisaw told the courtroom.

The trial for the former foster parents accused in Laila’s November 2015 death, Jennifer and Joseph Rosenbaum, entered its third week Monday. Jennifer Rosenbaum faces charges of malice and felony murder, child cruelty, aggravated assault and aggravated battery. Joseph Rosenbaum is charged with second-degree murder, accused of leaving Laila in his wife’s care when he allegedly knew she was abusing the child.

The Rosenbaums took in Laila and her older sister, Millie, in July 2015. Fourth months later, Laila was dead and Millie showed signs of also being abused, investigators have testified.

Darrisaw, a forensic pathologist, told the court she has completed more than 1,200 pediatric autopsies, including other high-profile cases. In May, she testified during the trial of Christopher McNabb and Cortney Bell, Newton County parents convicted in the death of 2-week-old Caliyah McNabb.

On Monday, Darrisaw, the final witness for prosecutors, testified approximately four hours on her autopsy findings regarding Laila’s death. She found dozens of injuries — including broken bones, bruises and lacerations — during the autopsy. But it was blows to Laila’s abdomen strong enough to split her pancreas in half and cause a laceration on her liver that ultimately caused her death, Darrisaw said.

The GBI’s findings contradict claims by Jennifer Rosenbaum that Laila choked on a chicken nugget on Nov. 17, 2015. Rosenbaum told investigators she then attempted the Heimlich maneuver and CPR on the child, who died. Responding paramedics noticed Laila was bruised from head to toe. Medical staff members at Piedmont Henry Hospital saw the injuries and called police.

The Rosenbaums’ defense attorney, Corinne Mull, has said Laila’s death was accidental and the result of failed attempts at lifesaving measures.

“When I conducted the autopsy, I didn’t find any food particles in the trachea,” Darrisaw said. “Normally if one eats shortly before death, we will be able to identify the food itself because it hasn’t been digested yet.”

Mull has said Laila and Millie were “rough and tumble” children who injured themselves, including by jumping on a bottom bunk bed and at gymnastics. Darrisaw said some of Laila’s injuries could have been accidental. But the injuries were too numerous, covering her body too extensively, to have been the result of typical falls, Darrisaw said.

On Laila’s body, Darrisaw noted 22 injuries in the head and neck region, 17 injuries to her legs, 12 to her arms, and 11 injuries to her torso, she testified. The injuries were in various stages of healing, Darrisaw said. Laila also had suffered a broken arm, a broken rib, and damage to her diaphragm, the doctor said.

Jennifer Rosenbaum told investigators Laila’s arms and legs flailed when she allegedly choked and her eyes rolled back. Darrisaw said Monday the seizure-like systems were the result of the child’s internal injuries.

“It’s not because of chicken,” Darrisaw said. “It’s because she had abdominal trauma.”

The trial is expected to resume Tuesday morning, when the defense will call its first witness. ”

GBI doctor: 2-year-old Laila died from blunt-force trauma, not choking

[Atlanta Journal Constitution 7/23/19 by Alexis Stevens]
“The attorney for Jennifer and Joseph Rosenbaum began presenting its case Tuesday and, almost immediately, the courtroom became confrontational.

The Rosenbaums were foster parents for Laila Daniel and her older sister, Millie, when Laila died on Nov. 27, 2015. Jennifer Rosenbaum said Laila died after she choked on some chicken. Prosecutors say the 2-year-old died of abuse at the hands of the Rosenbaums.

Eric Moreno, a friend of the Rosenbaums, testified Tuesday morning that the couple treated the girls like they were their own children.

Corinne Mull, Rosenbaums’ lawyer: Did you ever see Jennifer discipline the children for sleeping in a car?

Eric Moreno, friend of Rosenbaums: No.

Mull: Spank them?

Moreno: No.

Mull: Use a belt on them?

Moreno: No.

Moreno went on to say he lived with the Rosenbaums at one point and never saw them physically discipline the children and never saw bruises or injuries on the girls.

He also confirmed he booked a trip to South Dakota for the Rosenbaums and the girls when he worked at Delta. Prosecutors have tried to prove the Rosenbaums lied about taking the girls on trips, including to South Dakota for a family member’s wedding. In testimony Tuesday morning, a witness said the Rosenbaums later decided to not take the girls to South Dakota when they learned the event would take place in a casino or tavern.

Moreno told the court he and Jennifer Rosenbaum were in the same National Guard Unit together. Defense attorney Corinne Mull asked if they’d ever received training for CPR or Heimlich maneuver on a child. He said no.

Prosecutors then continued to question Moreno about whether he had any life-saving training in the military. That led to a contentious and lengthy exchange between the witness and prosecutors.

Joseph Rosenbaum’s mother takes stand for defense

The most emotional testimony of the day came from Mary Rosenbaum, Joseph’s mother. She testified she spent a lot of time with Laila and Millie and kept them overnight when Jennifer and Joseph went to the family member’s wedding in South Dakota.

“If I would have saw anything on those kids I would have turned Jenn and Joseph in myself,” testified Mary Rosenbaum.

Mary Rosenbaum said she never saw any injuries on the girls and that Jennifer did not use corporal punishment to discipline the girls. She said Jennifer used a “time-out” to discipline the girls.

“They (Laila and Millie) were very affectionate to Jenn and Joseph,” testified Mary Rosenbaum. “They loved Jenn and Joseph. And Jenn and Joseph are good parents.”

Mary Rosenbaum also testified she was at the hospital the day Laila died.

“Tears were running down her (Jennifer’s) face,” Mary Rosenbaum told the court. “She was hanging on to Joseph she just kept saying she couldn’t believe it. She couldn’t believe it.”

Mary told the court the County Coroner, Donald Cleveland, met the Rosenbaums in the hospital and said to Jennifer, “You’re that Jennifer Rosenbaum.” One of the defense’s assertions is that county authorities targeted the Rosenbaums because Jennifer was sometimes a vocal critic of the county government.

Mary Rosenbaum said she has custody of two of her grandchildren and has no concerns with them visiting Jennifer and Joseph Rosenbaum.

Focusing on Great Grandmother’s influence on Millie

The last few defense witnesses of the morning focused on the influence of Peggy Banks, Laila and Millie’s great grandmother.

The girls stayed with Banks on occasion as they were growing up and Banks continued visitations with them throughout their lives. Banks wanted to adopt Millie and spent a lot of time with her after Laila’s death.

Several workers with the Dept. of Family and Child Services took the stand to testify they were concerned Banks may have been telling Millie what to say in the aftermath of Laila’s death.

LaQuitra Billingsley with Clayton Co. DFCS was assigned to Millie’s case after Laila died.

“She (Peggy Banks) stated she did want her (Millie) to be adopted by people at her church which would have been white Christians,” testified Billingsley.

Billingsley also testified Banks told her she didn’t want Millie to be adopted by same sex couples.

“There were a lot of concerns about age appropriate conversation with the child (Millie),” testified Billingsley.

After the lunch break, Mull introduced more than a dozen witnesses, primarily friends of the Rosenbaums, who testified the girls seemed happy and never had any bruises.

The defense will continue making its case on Wednesday.

The Rosenbaums are facing 49 charges including murder.”

First defense witness spars with prosecutors in foster parents murder trial
[11 Alive 7/23/19 by Becky Kellogg]

Update 22:“Prosecutors and defense teams presented closing arguments in the trial of parents accused of murdering their 2-year-old foster child.

The case is now in the hands of the jury.

Jennifer and Joseph Rosenbaum are accused of killing Laila Daniel in 2015. The Rosenbaums told police that Laila choked on a chicken bone.

Earlier this week, a medical examiner testified that Laila actually died of a severe beating.

Channel 2’s Lauren Pozen has been covering the trial since it began earlier this month. Closing arguments lasted more than hours Friday.

For the first time, Pozen saw the Rosenbaums get emotional during closing arguments. They did not take the stand.

The prosecution said Laila died a slow and painful death. The defense argues that it was an accident.

When the prosecutor showed pictures to the jury of the bruises both on Laila and her sister Millie, Joseph Rosenbaum took his glasses off and reached for Jennifer Rosenbaum’s hand.

Prosecutor Eddie Chase said there is no question the couple killed the child.

The defense said the 49 charges brought against the couple are a result of a rush to judgement.

Defense attorney Corrine Mull said Laila’s death was an accident and the bruises on her body were from when Jennifer Rosenbaum tried to save her life.

“It was the Heimlich Maneuver gone bad,” Mull said. “There is nothing simple about this case. Real life accidents, that’s the case here. There was an accident.”

The prosecution disagreed.

“How come not a single medical professional has never seen anything like this? Because she didn’t get these injuries from the Heimlich maneuver,” Chase said. “Evidence proves beyond a reasonable doubt that they killed (Laila).”

A good portion of the defense’s closing arguments dealt with Joseph Rosenbaum. The defense said he’s only charged with a crime to try to get him to turn in his wife.

The judge went over jury instructions Friday and the jury will be back Monday to begin deliberations.”

Murder trial of foster parents accused of killing 2-year-old heads to jury

[WSBTV 7/26/19 by Lauren Pozen]

Update 23:“Jurors on Thursday afternoon convicted a Henry County couple in the brutal 2015 death of their 2-year-old foster daughter.

Jennifer and Joseph Rosenbaum, who insisted Laila Daniel died from accidental injuries, were both found guilty of murder counts and appeared to sob as the verdicts were read. The wife, a former law student who interned in the local district attorney’s office, was sentenced to life plus 40 years in prison. The husband, an ex-correctional officer, to 30 years in prison followed by 20 on probation.

Laila’s biological mother Tessa Daniel cried on the shoulder of a court worker after the verdicts came down. Daniel and Jennifer Rosenbaum spent time together as children in a group home and Daniel had been happy to see Laila live with the defendants as she was trying to kick a drug addiction in 2015.

“I’ve blamed myself over the last four years a lot for what happened to my baby because it was my actions that caused her to be in their home,” the mother said, pausing. “Now I don’t have to blame myself anymore because I never hurt my baby. I loved her very much.”

Jennifer Rosenbaum called 911 on Nov. 17, 2015, to say Laila was choking on a chicken nugget. Officials found that the girl died from blunt force trauma to the abdomen, which split her pancreas and lacerated her liver, and that she had extensive bruising from prior abuse. But the couple maintained that Laila died from the mother’s attempts to perform CPR and the Heimlich maneuver.

The couple had taken Laila and her sister, Millie, 4, in four months earlier. Joseph Rosenbaum wasn’t home when Laila died, but investigators believe he knew his wife was abusing Laila and he did nothing to stop it.

The couple faced a 49-count indictment, accusing them of various counts of child abuse and murder. Jurors, who deliberated four days, acquitted each defendant on some charges but also convicted them on the most serious ones. Jennifer Rosenbaum was found guilty of felony murder, meaning she caused Laila’s death by abusing her. Joseph Rosenbaum was convicted of second-degree murder, meaning his negligence contributed to her death.

Defense attorney Corinne Mull asked Judge Brian Amero for leniency.

“Jennifer and Joseph come to you with absolutely no record whatsoever,” Mull said.

Mull said Jennifer Rosenbaum was a caring foster mother who, while maintaining the death was an accident, has “always blamed herself.” Mull said Joseph Rosenbaum was away from home often and should be spared a long prison term in part because he suffers from cystic fibrosis and diabetes, which are expected to eventually be fatal.[Oh, boo hoo! Not!]

After sentencing the couple, the judge described the case as horrific and apologized to Laila’s biological family.

“I feel for and am deeply pained by your loss,” Amero said, “and I hope that you will somehow find a way to recover.””

Ex-foster parents found guilty, sentenced in murder trial

[Atlanta Journal-Constitution 8/1/19 by Joshua Sharpe]