How Could You? Hall of Shame-Efrain Gonzalez

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 New Britain, Connecticut, foster parent Efrain Gonzalez,47, “is accused of watching a woman throw a small child against a wood bed frame while she was drinking and annoyed that the 3-year-old boy and a 2-year-old girl wouldn’t remain asleep, police said.”

He”was arrested Wednesday after investigators said he witnessed two young children being injured by an adult and never reported the abuse.”

“Gonzalez, as a foster parent, is mandated by the state to report child abuse. He was served with an arrest warrant charging him with risk of injury to a minor and failure to report child abuse.

Gonzalez came under scrutiny after he spoke with authorities about Maiko Kostapapas, 35, of …, New Britain, who was arrested twice, once on March 16 and again on March 17 on charges of risk of injury to a child and assault.

Gonzalez told police he was at Kostapapas’ home March 15 and the two argued but he never saw her touch the children. Police learned of the argument the next day after a maintenance worker called to report that he had noticed a smashed window and a smashed beer bottle with Kostapapas leaving the damaged home with two young children.

“He called to report that he thought a domestic violence incident had occurred,” Police Capt. Thomas Steck said.

Responding officers found the children with injuries including a swollen eye and welts to their faces, Steck said. Kostapapas told police the children slipped on spilled laundry detergent, Steck said.

Police later learned that Gonzalez had witnessed Kostapapas throwing one of the children into a wooden bed frame while he was at her home on March 15.

A spokesman for the state Department of Children and Families said all foster parents undergo more than two months of training and criminal background checks. Gary Kleeblatt of DCF said the agency does not release the names of foster parents. Kleeblatt said he could provide no information on Gonzalez and that in certain circumstances DCF Commissioner Joette Katz could release information but she likely wouldn’t in this case.

Police said both children were taken to the hospital where staff discovered more injuries. Kostapapas was then charged with two counts of risk of injury to a child for the March 15 incident and second-degree assault, third-degree assault and risk of injury to a child for the children’s injuries. She is being held on $350,000 bond.”

Foster parent accused of knowing about alleged child abuse [New Britain Herald 4/14/16 by Lisa Backus]

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