How Could You? Hall of Shame-Samuel Brummet Jr case-Child Death

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 Phoenix, Arizona, an old case has resurfaced. On May 1, 2017, foster child 3-year-old Samuel Brummett, Jr. died.

In”April of 2017, he was sent to live with family friends because of suspected neglect by his parents. One month later, he was dead.

“I didn’t know what had happened at that time,” Rife said.

Samuel spent a day at Phoenix Children’s Hospital on life support before he died. The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s report showed he died from complications from the flu. But the doctor who did the autopsy could not list a manner of death.

“When you list it as unknown, that leaves you to wonder what else is going on? What happened?” Rife said.

Rife knows something else happened. And the report is clear, he was running a fever and was sick for a week and was not taken to a doctor. According to the report, an appointment with a pediatrician was made, but not kept. It also said he had bruises and other injuries from head to toe that were “strongly suggestive of non-accidental trauma.”

“It was a beating. You can’t get those bruises like that unless you’re being hit repeatedly and repeatedly and I don’t know how you can do that to a three-year-old or to any child for that matter,” Rife said.

Friday afternoon we found out the case will move forward. Sgt. Joaquin Enriquez of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office said the department will be “submitting this case to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office for review for possible child abuse charges.”

We reached out to Maricopa County for clarification on why the manner is listed as undetermined. County spokesperson Fields Moseley said the medical examiner could not comment on the case, but provided this statement:

The manner refers to the circumstances surrounding a person’s death and that can change as more information becomes available. 

“It’s hard to think that someone who did that to your own grandchild is out there wandering the streets,” Rife said. “Living their normal life when Sammy didn’t get to live a normal life. His life got taken away from him.” ”

Grandmother wants justice for Phoenix toddler who died in foster care

[ABC 15 9/22/18 by Angie Koehle]

“He was on life support for two days at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. An autopsy showed he died from flu complications, but also show he was covered in bruises. The boy’s biological mother told us about his injuries last year.

“My son looked like he was beaten and they could not tell me if he was going to make it or not,” Nikki Rife said shortly after the boy’s death.

Rife told us the boy was placed in a foster home with family friends in Wittmann after Rife and Samuel’s father were accused of neglect. She said he was there for about three weeks and she was attempting to regain custody of him.

According to the medical examiner’s report, he was sick and was running a fever for a week before he died, but wasn’t given medical attention until one of his caregivers flagged down an ambulance in the neighborhood.

The medical examiner noted bruises all over his body, broken nail beds and other injuries. The doctor also noted how the foster mother allegedly admitted to using “aggressive discipline” and biting the boy’s fingers and toes. His caregivers reportedly said the bruises were from him being a clumsy child.

The report went on to read: Other children in the household reportedly observed the decedent being hit by foster mom. Samuel is described as aggressive towards his younger sibling.

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office initially investigated his death as suspicious. An MCSO spokesperson said detectives are no longer investigating the death, but told us the case is not yet closed. The medical examiner listed the manner of death as undetermined, writing she doesn’t know if the injuries in any way contributed to his death.

Part of her official opinion reads: “While it is unclear how the injuries were sustained, the number and locations of the injuries are strongly suggestive of non-accidental trauma. The individual injuries, in and of themselves, are not significant enough to account for death alone. However, when taken in context of an ongoing systemic illness, their potential contribution to death cannot be reliably determined.”

The report did not specify how old the bruises on his body were so it is not clear whose care he was under when he suffered them. Department of Child Safety spokesperson Darren DeRonco said due to confidentiality laws, the department cannot comment on the case at this time. ”

Arizona toddler had bruises ‘too numerous to count’ but died from flu complications

[ABC 15 6/8/18 by Angie Koehle]

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