How Could You? Hall of Shame- Michell Momox-Caselis case-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 Las Vegas, Nevada,”a man and toddler died Sunday in an apparent murder-suicide on the west side of the valley.”

“The man and his wife apparently recently became foster parents of two children. Metro believes the man killed one of the foster children in an apartment bedroom, and then went to a car in the parking lot and killed himself.

Metro patrol officers responded AT about 8:15 a.m. to an apartment complex on North Jones Boulevard to investigate reports of an unresponsive male inside a car. Arriving officers found a dead man inside the vehicle. Officers and medical personnel also determined the infant girl found inside the residence was dead.

Police detectives said the suspect was last seen putting a child to bed in the early morning hours Sunday, and then left for work. The suspect never showed up for work and his place of employment called numerous times to check on his status. The suspect’s wife woke up in the morning and went outside with their other foster child and found her husband inside his vehicle.

After officers arrived, the suspect’s wife returned to the residence to get keys to the vehicle. She found the dead child in her crib.

The identities of the deceased, as well as the cause and manner of death, will be released by the Clark County coroner’s office.

The second child was unharmed and was taken into custody by Clark County Child Protective Services”

Man, foster child dead in apparent murder-suicide  [My News 3 10/12/14]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

 

Update:” Las Vegas police are investigating what they believe was a murder-suicide involving a toddler and her foster father.

Police say Joaquin Juarez-Paez, 37, of Las Vegas was last seen putting the 18-month girl to bed early Sunday morning before leaving for work. Officers say he never made it there, and co-workers started calling to find out where he was.

When his wife woke up Sunday morning, she found her husband inside his car unresponsive. She went back inside to get the keys to the car and found the girl dead in her crib.

Metro officers arrived about 8:15 a.m to an apartment complex on North Jones Boulevard near Washington Avenue. They found Juarez-Paez inside the vehicle. Officers and medical personnel also determined the girl found inside the residence was dead.

Juarez-Paez and his wife recently became foster parents to two children – the girl and a 6-month-old boy.

Police believe Juarez-Paez killed the girl and then took his own life. The other child is now in protective custody and is doing OK. The Clark County coroner’s office has not released the identity of the child or a cause of death for either victim.

“We are stunned and saddened by the loss of a foster child and the apparent suicide of a foster parent,” officials from the Clark County Family Services said in a statement. “DFS is fully cooperating with law enforcement during its investigation. It is our responsibility to place children in a safe environment, and our hearts are heavy as we work to gather more information.

“Because of the ongoing law enforcement investigation and confidentiality laws that protect information about children in foster care, this is the only information the department will release at this time.”

The Clark County Coroner’s office later Monday identified the child as 16-month-old Michelle Momox-Caselis [sic]of Las Vegas. Her cause of death is still pending.

The second child was unharmed and was taken into custody by Clark County Child Protective Services.

The death of the toddler is the 103rd homicide investigated by Metro this year. ”

Coroner ID’s man, child in suspected murder-suicide[My News 3 10/13/14 by Antonio Castelan]

Update 2:“The grieving parents and caregivers of 16-month-old Michell Momox-Caselis, who on Sunday was killed in an apparent murder-suicide involving her foster father, are calling for justice.

Mine worker Sergio Momox, 41, returned to Las Vegas from Utah on Wednesday after his wife, Maria De Jesus Caselis Toxtle, 42, informed him of their daughter’s homicide.

“My daughter shouldn’t have died,” Momox said in Spanish.

Both parents were mourning the loss of the toddler on Friday with Michell’s first set of foster parents, Nicolasa Robledo-Hernandez, 60 and Jose De Jesus Hernandez, 50. The Hernandez couple planned to adopt Michell and had even discussed an open adoption with the parents, who had agreed.

“We feel terrible,” Momox said.

He questions why the foster mother hasn’t been held accountable and also blames the Clark County Department of Family Services for putting his daughter in a dangerous home.

“There’s negligence on the caseworkers who placed her in the hands of people who were not conscious to care for the girl. We want justice,” Momox said.

Michell’s second foster father, Joaquin Juarez-Paez, 37, of Las Vegas, was found dead in his car in front of the Oasis Vinings apartment complex at 6100 Carmen Blvd., near North Jones Boulevard and Vegas Drive, shortly after 8 a.m. Sunday, according to Las Vegas police.

When officers arrived at the apartment and sent Juarez-Paez’s wife inside for the car keys, she found Michell dead in her crib. A second foster child, a 6-month-old baby, was found unharmed, police say. The 6-month-old was not related to Michell.

Information released by Las Vegas police and the Clark County Department of Family Services has been sparse. But Momox and the foster parents said that Juarez-Paez had put a blanket over Michell’s face, information they obtained from the Clark County coroner’s office.

While police haven’t released a motive in the homicide, Momox believes the foster father might have been angry and exhausted from caring for the toddler while working multiple jobs, including one for a company that delivers the Review-Journal under contract. Momox also said Juarez-Paez’s wife had two jobs and questioned why Family Services would place an infant with foster parents who had no time for her.

“In what state are they going to place the girl with people who don’t have time to take care of her?” he asked.

Officials for Family Services did not respond to calls for comment late Friday afternoon. On Thursday, Family Services Spokeswoman Kristi Jourdan said the agency continues to work with law enforcement to gather more information about Sunday’s “tragedy.”

“At this point, it is crucial not to fill in the gaps about what the community doesn’t know with speculation and allow the law enforcement investigation to be completed,” she said in written responses.

Momox and his wife have six other children, ranging in age from 4 to 13 years old, who have been placed at St. Jude’s Ranch for Children in Boulder City.

The children were removed from their parents’ custody in August 2013 after Momox left for work in Utah and the mother rented an apartment in poor condition and without power. Family Services placed the six oldest children at St. Jude’s. Michell, who was then 2 months old, was placed with the Hernandez couple.

Robledo-Hernandez cared for Michell until June 19, when the girl was removed from her home because of an abuse allegation involving another foster child. The child involved in the allegation was left with the couple and has now been adopted by them. The couple has two other adopted children.

“We never hurt our children, but when they took (Michell) away, that’s what they did,” Robledo-Hernandez said. “They send to kill her. We protected her. I had faith in God that they would return her to me.”

Robledo-Hernandez said she tried to have Michell returned to her care. She said she had a feeling that she wasn’t being cared for properly.

On Aug. 6, Robledo-Hernandez said she saw Michell in court and noticed bruising on one of her arms. She said she called the Clark County’s child abuse hotline twice, but was told they couldn’t do anything.

Breaking down in tears as she clutched one of Michell’s dresses, Robledo-Hernandez said, ” She was our life, she was our princess.”

Michell was a little girl who needed attention and would scream when she was hungry, according to Robledo-Hernandez, who was happy to see to the toddler’s needs. The Hernandez couple has cared for foster children for about 10 years.

Michell’s second set of foster parents were licensed earlier this year, Jourdan said Thursday.

Michell’s funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Davis Funeral Homes & Memorial Park, 6200 S. Eastern Ave.

A trust account has been set up for donations to an education fund exclusively for the surviving Momox-Caselis children, according to W. West Allen, the court-appointed Children’s Attorneys Project lawyer who represented Michell and her six siblings. The account is at the Bank of Nevada the account number is 8010798919. Donations may be made by visiting a Bank of Nevada location, or mailing checks directly to: Bank of Nevada; 3985 S. Durango Drive; Las Vegas, NV 89147; The Momox Testamentary Trust.

Allen on Friday said Family Services needs to consider how the work schedules of foster parents affect their ability to care for infants. “We need to do better for the children” in foster care, Allen said, adding that they rely on the system to be “safe and protected.””

Parents of murdered foster child call for justice[Las Vegas Review Journal 10/17/14 by Yesenia Amaro]

Update 3:”The mother and grandparents of a foster child placed in the same home as 16-month-old Michell Momox-Caselis, who was killed Oct. 12 in an apparent murder-suicide involving her foster father, said they raised concerns about the foster home on numerous occasions, but that authorities didn’t listen.

The grandparents said they had complained to the Clark County Department of Family Services about the foster couple’s ability to properly care for their grandson, a 9-month-old special needs child earlier identified by police as a 6-month-old.

“I’m just totally shocked nobody would listen to me about these people,” Robert Charles, the boy’s grandfather, said Monday.

Michell’s biological parents on Friday were mourning the loss of the toddler, as was a couple who initially had taken the girl in as a foster child and who planned to adopt her.

Nicolasa Robledo-Hernandez, 60, and Jose De Jesus Hernandez, 50, received Michell in their home last summer, but on June 19, she was removed because of an abuse allegation involving another foster child. That child was left with the couple, however, and has since been adopted by them. The couple have three adopted children.

Michell’s second foster father, Joaquin Juarez-Paez, 37, of Las Vegas, was found dead in his car in front of the Oasis Vinings apartment complex at 6100 Carmen Blvd., near North Jones Boulevard and Vegas Drive, shortly after 8 a.m. Oct. 12, according to Las Vegas police.

When officers arrived at the apartment and sent Juarez-Paez’s wife inside for the car keys, she found Michell dead in her crib. The 9-month-old foster child was not harmed. Police have said they believe Juarez-Paez killed the child and then took his own life.

Citing “confidentiality statues and state policies,” Clark County officials would say little Monday about why Michell was removed from the Hernandez home and why the couple was still allowed to adopt the other foster child in their care. Nor would they comment on when Nicolasa Robledo-Hernandez had called Clark County’s child abuse hotline to report bruising on one of Michell’s arms after the toddler was removed from her home, only to be told there was nothing officials could do.

The county officials also declined to comment when asked if any concerns were raised about the foster couple involved in the murder-suicide.

Maria Charles, the grandmother of the 9-month-old, said both she and her daughter, who is the mother of the child, expressed concerns to officials about the Juarez-Paez’s couple. Her grandson was losing weight and now weighs just 12 pounds, she said, and special needs stemming from a premature birth were not being met. He was placed in foster care because of drug-related issues, she said.

Family Services officials always told them the baby “was fine,” she said.

Maria Charles said she’s not blaming Child Protective Services, but has many unanswered questions about the foster parents.

“What’s the cover up?” she asked.

Donna Coleman, a longtime child advocate, said transparency and accountability are needed.

“We need a public hearing on this and someone needs to be fired on this,” she said Monday.

No one has been disciplined in connection with this case, said Erik Pappa, Clark County spokesman.

Michell’s parents, Sergio Momox, 41, and Maria De Jesus Caselis Toxtle, 42, on Friday said they were aware the Juarez-Paez couple had multiple jobs. Maria Charles also said the foster mother told her she worked three jobs and her husband had one job, but that her mother would help with the children.

Pappa said information that both foster parents had multiple jobs “may not be correct,” but cited confidentiality and would say little more.

“It is not uncommon for parents in Las Vegas to work unusual shifts and odd hours. But for parents who do work uncommon hours, there are appropriate day-care options,” Pappa said in a written statement. “This is Las Vegas, and that is the nature of our community.”

Pappa said officials review foster parent work schedules and may coordinate day-care arrangements if needed, but he did not answer when asked if work schedules of this particular couple were reviewed.

Maria Charles said she feels “terrible” about Michell’s death, noting that her grandson could also have been a victim. She’ll go to court Thursday to try to get legal custody of her grandson, who is now at Child Haven, the county’s shelter for abused and neglected children.

“We are happy he’s alive,” she said. “I was right. It wasn’t the right home. I don’t want this to happen to any other innocent child.””

Family says foster home concerns brushed off before toddler’s death[Las Vegas Review Journal 10/20/14 by Yesenia Amaro]

Update 4:”The Clark County Coroner’s Office released the cause of death for the foster father who police say killed a 16-month-old girl in his care.

The coroner says Joaquin Juarez-Paez, 37, died from hydrocodone overdose and the manner of death was ruled a suicide. Hydrocodone is a common pain killer.

Juarez-Paez’s wife found him unresponsive in a car outside their apartment in October. When she ran inside the apartment to get the keys to the car, she found the 16-month-old child, Michell Momox-Caselis dead in her crib, according to police.

The couple had recently become a foster family to Michell and another child.”

Coroner: Foster father died of drug overdose[8news Now 11/4/14 by Natalie Cullen]

Update 5:“An 18-month-old girl who died in foster care in October died from a Descarboethoxyloratadine Intoxication overdose, which is an antihistamine also known as Claritin or Clarinex.

The Clark County Coroner’s Office released the results on Thursday.

Police found Michelle Momox-Caselis dead in her foster care home shortly after they found her foster father, Juan Juarez-Paez, dead in his car. Officers said they found Michelle dead inside the home.  According to a suicide letter left behind, Juarez-Paez believed he was responsible for Michelle’s death.The note read, “forgive me Michelle, for not taking care of you,” authorities said

Police said Juarez-Paez thought he accidentally killed the baby when he wrapped her in a blanket and went to bed.  Juarez-Paez said he thought the blanket slid down onto her head and suffocated her while she was sleeping.

He wrote in the note that when he “woke up she was dead,”officers said. However, toxicology reports showed the baby died from an overdose.

Clark County asked both the state and the expert non-profit group, “Action for Child Protection” to find out if mistakes were made during the process of licensing this fosterfamily.

“In this particular case, it was so horrific and so tragic for all of us, that we wanted to make sure we had a good review of the case so we could respond accordingly,” said Lisa Ruiz-Lee, DFS Director.

An overview of how the Department of Family Services handled this case was also released Thursday.

Wayne Holder Action for Child Protection was commissioned to be the outside reviewer of the case. He said it took him three full days to go through every document searching for red flags.

“Substance abuse, people who are stressed out, people who are having difficulty managing their emotions,” are just some of the problem areas Holder said he was looking for.

Holder said he didn’t find any of those things and to sum it up, he said there was nothing DFS could have done differently.

“Through looking at the documentation, there weren’t any indicators – ever,” Holder said.

“It is clear now that this case was a horrible tragedy on many levels, but in the opinion of Mr. Holder, DFS’s ‘licensing process and decision making were justifiable’ and the case management contact level of effort and oversight were reasonable and appropriate,” said Clark County Manager Don Burnette.”

Baby in foster care died from antihistamine overdose[8 News Now 12/19/14 by Barrett Tryon and Lauren Rozyla]