How Could You? Hall of Shame-Ka’ron Mason 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 Fredericksburg, Virginia, foster father David John Marcussen, 33, was indicted by a Stafford County Special Grand Jury “in the death of the 12-month-old foster son, Ka’ron Mason. ”
“Marcussen turned himself in later that day and is being held without bond at the Rappahannock Regional Jail.
Stafford sheriffs say the 33-year-old man was giving the boy a bath earlier this year when the child suffered burns to his face, torso and neck. Child Protective Services notified detectives on January 6. Ka’ron was flown to VCU Medical Center where he died on February 1.
Marcussen faces felony murder, involuntary manslaughter, child neglect and child cruelty charges.
Sheriffs say Ka’ron had been with his foster family since July.
The Fredericksburg Department of Social Services released a statement Wednesday:
“All of us at the Fredericksburg Department of Social Services are very saddened by the tragic death of Ka’ron. Our thoughts and prayers are with Ka’ron’s family and loved ones as they mourn for him.
Ka’ron Mason was a one year old boy who was in the legal custody of the Fredericksburg Department of Social Services. He had been placed in a foster home in Stafford County after the foster parents passed the stringent selection and training criteria required by our agency. Ka’ron had been in the custody of Fredericksburg DSS since shortly after his birth, after a judge determined that because of family circumstances, it would be in his best interest to be placed in foster care.
Fredericksburg Social Services case workers visited with him in the foster home at least monthly and last visited Ka’ron in the foster home on December 17, 2014. While he was hospitalized, our social workers were at the hospital several times a week.
Due to the nature of the investigations being conducted by the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office and Stafford County DSS, we are unable to comment on any of the specific circumstances surrounding this case. We are cooperating fully with the Stafford investigators. ”
VA foster dad accused of murder in death of 1 year old[NBC 12 4/22/15 by Susan Bahorich]
“Jeanna Marshall–Walls of Richmond said she was devastated when she got word of the death of the child she knew as “Ronnie” and who she considered one of her grandchildren.
“This is just a tragedy, what happened,” said Marshall–Walls, who is Marcussen’s mother.
She said that the incident as portrayed by authorities does not accurately represent her son, who is known as “D.J.,” or what transpired the day Ronnie was taken to the hospital.
Marshall–Walls said her son was bathing Ronnie and his own 2-year-old son together on that January day.
“There was no scalding,” she said.
Instead, Marcussen had washed his son’s hair with a new shampoo and then used the same shampoo on Ronnie.
His son had no reaction to the shampoo, but as Marcussen was drying Ronnie, the father observed what she suggests could have been an allergic reaction on the child’s skin and said the boy also had trouble breathing, Marshall–Walls said.
She said Marcussen immediately tried to reach his wife on the phone and when that failed, called his mother-in-law, who lives nearby.
“It was an allergic reaction to the shampoo,” she said. “If it was scalding, why wasn’t his child scalded?”
They took Ronnie for medical care, which led to his being flown to MCV.
“He has been devastated since day one,” she said of her son.
Marshall–Walls said Marcussen grew up around children, not only interacting with his two younger sisters but also the children she cared for as a home day care provider.
“My children actually helped me start the business,” she said.
“All of my kids love kids because of it,” she added.
Her children and those she cared for played together as one family and Marcussen taught the boys to play soccer, she said.
“My son is absolutely the kindest, most gentle boy you have ever met,” she said. “He is a very kind, loving man.”
Marshall–Walls now operates Patterson Avenue Child Care near Carytown and said her son would never intentionally harm a child. If she thought he had, she would not defend him, she said.
Marcussen has obtained Spotsylvania County-based attorney Ghislaine Storr Burks to represent him, his mother said. Burks could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.
Marshall–Walls said Ronnie was considered a part of the family.
“He wasn’t a foster child to us; he was a grandchild to us,” she said.”
Stafford man indicted on murder charge after death of foster baby[Fredericksburg.com 4/22/15 by Pamela Gould]
“Neighbors say the family had at least two young kids of their own. Ka’ron was placed with the Marcussens after a judge removed him from his parents shortly after birth. ”
Baby dies in foster care, foster dad charged with murder[Fox DC 4/22/15 by Sherri Ly]
“The death of a child in the care of a foster family in Stafford County has been ruled an accident.
The Free Lance-Star (http://bit.ly/1GpjDWM ) reports that the state medical examiner’s office in Richmond has listed the child’s death as the result of complications from thermal injuries. It concluded the manner of death an accident.
On April 17, a grand jury returned an indictment against 33-year-old David John Marcussen, charging him with murder, involuntary manslaughter and other counts in the Feb. 1 death of Ka’Ron Mason.
Marcussen was released Thursday from the Rappahannock Regional Jail after a judge granted his request for bond and set conditions for his release.
A spokesman for the Stafford County Sheriff’s office says Ka’Ron was hospitalized Jan. 6 after Marcussen bathed the child.”
Va. foster child’s death ruled an accident[Richmond Times Dispatch 4/24/15 by Associated Press]
REFORM Puzzle Piece
Update:“The case against a man charged with killing his one-year-old foster child in Stafford County was continued on Monday morning.
David Marcussen has been charged with one count of felony murder, one count of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of cruelty to children and one count of child neglect.
Back in April, the state Medical Examiner’s office determined that one-year-old Ka’ron Mason died of complications from thermal injuries, according to the Freelance Star. The manner of death was concluded to be accidental.
Police say their investigation determined that the child was burned while Marcussen bathed him back in January. He died at the hospital in February. Police say the baby had burns on his face, torso and neck.
Ka’ron had been with his foster family since July 2014.
The Department of Social Services say the family passed the strict screening process for foster parents.
Marcussen’s bond has been modified so that he can now have supervised visitation with minors other than his own children. His previous bond only allowed visitations by his own children.[What?]
Marcussen is due back in court on October 1.”
Case continued for foster dad charged with murder of Stafford 1-year-old [WRIC 8/17/15 by Emily Satchell and Evanne Armour]
Update 2:“A Stafford County man was convicted of felony child neglect Tuesday for his role in an incident early last year that resulted in the death of his 1-year-old foster child.
David John Marcussen, 35, pleaded no contest to the single charge in Stafford Circuit Court. Prosecutors Kristin Bird and Ed Lustig dropped four other charges, including felony homicide and involuntary manslaughter.
Marcussen will be facing a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine when he is sentenced July 25. Judge Charles Sharp revoked his bond Tuesday and Marcussen was placed in the Rappahannock Regional Jail.
According to the prosecution’s evidence, little Ka’Ron “Ronnie” Mason was removed from his biological mother in 2014 because of problems she was having.
Marcussen and his wife became the baby’s foster parents in July 2014.
On Jan. 1, 2015, Ronnie was taken to Mary Washington Hospital with severe burns to his face, the top of his head, the back of his neck and his chest.
Lustig said Marcussen told police that he had checked the water temperature before giving the baby a bath, then used the same water to bathe his own 2-year-old. He said the baby didn’t cry and seemed fine.
A short time later, the baby put his hand on his forehead and skin came off, according to Marcussen’s account.
After being taken to MWH, the child was flown to VCU Medical Center in Richmond, where he stayed until his death on Feb. 1.
The cause of death was determined to be multiple organ failure stemming from MRSA, a severe staph infection that is resistant to antibiotics.
Defense attorney Ghislaine Storr Burks pointed out that the burns were healing properly and doctors were expecting the child to go home when the infection took over.
A special Stafford grand jury indicted Marcussen on the murder and manslaughter charges on April 17, but a medical examiner later ruled that Ronnie’s death was accidental.
Bird said that while prosecutors never believed that Marcussen intentionally hurt the child, there was evidence early on supporting the homicide charges.
But after talking with various doctors, Bird said prosecutors agreed that the child neglect charge was the more appropriate one.
Had the case gone to trial, Lustig said that Robin Foster, a prominent Richmond doctor, would have testified that the evidence did not match Marcussen’s version of the incident.
“We don’t know what happened that day,” Lustig said. “But we do know that what he said was not true.”
The plea came on what was scheduled to be the first day of a four-day jury trial.”
Stafford foster dad guilty of neglect in child’s death[Fredricksburg 5/25/16 by Keith Epps]
Update 3:”A Stafford man will serve just six months for the death of his 1-year-old foster son
On Monday, a judge sentenced David Marcussen to five years in prison, but four and a half of those years were suspended. The judge based his sentencing on the fact that he believes the child’s death was an accident.
Ka’ron Mason died after suffering second-degree burns from scalding bath water in February of 2015.
His foster father originally faced murder and involuntary manslaughter charges in the case, but recently pleaded No Contest to felony child abuse. Under that agreement, the Commonwealth’s Attorney dropped the more serious charges.
Ka’ron’s biological parents and grandmother were in court today. They were apparently just a couple of months away from bringing the child home when he died.
Family and friends of Marcussen packed the remainder of the courtroom, which was standing room only. They also flooded the judge with 110 letters in support of the defendant.
Marcussen will get credit for nearly two months time already served.”
http://wric.com/2016/07/25/stafford-man-gets-6-months-for-foster-childs-death/
[WRIC 7/25/16 by Kristen Smith]
I am so sick of kids being taken from their real parents for potential abuse, then being abused/killed by their foster parents!
Only parents who actually ARE abusive should lose custody of their kids. If the parents are poor, they should receive services. If there’s an abusive relationship, the mother should receive shelter with her kids. If there are “red flags” for child abuse, the parents should receive preventive services and home visits.
This children was taken for the parents for no real reason I know the father he’s a hard working man doing the best he could the baby was taken for the mother at the hospital well he was at work. Social services always taken black child from their families but never want to help them. I feel bad for this baby he’s dad was fighting to get him back he was going to be returned to him June 2015.
I like to know what kind shampoo could do that . the child had baths and hair shampoo before he was giving to that person. He must was with someone before that family. since they didn’t always have him.if the child had a skin condition Social services should have made it known. I AGREE with the comment above.