How Could You? Hall of Shame-Alex Medina 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 Meridien, Connecticut, “a Meriden foster father arrested after a drunken driving crash that killed his 17-year-old foster son had his charges upgraded Tuesday to include two counts of second-degree manslaughter — one with a motor vehicle while intoxicated, and the other stemming from his alleged recklessness.
James Bailey, 65, appeared in Superior Court in Meriden. He also faces charges of reckless driving, reckless endangerment and driving under the influence. As “therapeutic” foster parents, Bailey and his wife had a higher level of training, oversight and funding — about $1,666 per month — than traditional foster households.
His face a somber mask, Bailey stood next to his lawyer, Teresa Dinardi, and listened as Judge Thomas O’Keefe set the next court date at Nov. 12. He was accompanied in court by family members and remains free on a $200,000 bond.
Police have said Bailey was drunk at 11 a.m. on Sept. 30 [2019] when he crashed at high speed into two utility poles in Meriden, hurling the teen, Alex Medina, a junior at Maloney High School, from the SUV. Alex was riding in the back seat on that weekday morning and wasn’t wearing a seat belt. He died four days later.
The Department of Children and Families, who had custody of Alex, announced on Sept. 30 that it was investigating the boy’s placement with Bailey and his wife. The couple live on Milton Road in Meriden, and have taken in DCF children for many years. Alex had been there about a year.
DCF last week would not answer a number of questions about the case, including if the alleged events on Sept. 30 that caused Alex’s death were out of character for Bailey or if one or more red flags had been raised in the past about Alex’s placement with the Baileys.
The agency also would not say why Alex was riding unbelted in the back seat in the middle of the school day as Bailey drove with his friend, 73-year-old Joel Young, in the front seat. Young, who was visiting Bailey from outside the country, was not seriously injured.
DCF Commissioner Vannessa Dorantes cited confidentiality laws surrounding child protection records and said she could not discuss the case.
“In the days since this tragic incident, information has been gathered to more fully understand the care and treatment [Alex] received in his foster home and his overall well-being in the department’s care,” Dorantes said.
“We must balance transparency in our work with our obligations to follow the law and respect the privacy of the individuals involved,” she added.
Dorantes said parallel DCF and Meriden police inquiries “make it even more important to release information at the proper time, and avoid jeopardizing pending actions.”
DCF commissioners have the discretion to release information on cases that have been in the public domain when investigations are done.
Alex’s family set up a fundraising website Monday to help pay for funeral expenses.
“The family is heartbroken; grieving deeply the theft of life and happiness that their son has endured and that they have also endured,” a post on the page reads. “The parents and family are struggling to find ease, peace, and solace again. During this time of pain and heartbreak, once again in this family’s life, please find it in your heart to help keep Alex’s memory alive and to help lay Alex to rest.””
[Hartford Courant 10/15/19 by Josh Kovner]
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