How Could You? Hall of Shame-Kristen Carter (Nelson) 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 St, Paul, Minnesota, “a 1-year-old St. Paul girl, whose death prompted an investigation and the suspension of her grandmother’s foster care license, died of natural causes, police said this week.

Before Kristin Nelson — also known as Kristin Carter — passed away in November, she was active and happy. She had a cough, though she was playing and not acting sick, her grandmother said Thursday.

The Ramsey County medical examiner’s office says an autopsy showed Kristin died of pneumonia and croup, an infection of the bronchial airways that causes a barking cough.

Sabrena Carter, Kristin’s grandmother, says the loss of her granddaughter has been compounded by the accompanying investigation.

“It took a toll on us, as far as people thinking I did something to my baby,” Carter said. “I would never hurt my kids. I love them too much.”

When Kristin died, police did not immediately say publicly whether they believed the toddler’s death was suspicious.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services, though, quickly issued a temporary suspension of Carter’s foster care license. Carter had been caring for Kristin and four other grandchildren at the time.

ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATION SOUGHT

Ramsey County Human Services requested this week that the state extend the suspension of the foster care license indefinitely to allow for additional investigation by county social services, a county spokesman said on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the state ordered the license be indefinitely suspended.

“Due to the serious nature of the incident which remains under investigation; and in order to protect the health and safety of children receiving services in DHS-licensed programs, your license to provide child foster care is indefinitely suspended,” the order to Carter and her fiance stated.

In the Department of Human Services letter, a staff person added that because there is an open investigation, information about the case is confidential.

Carter can appeal the indefinite suspension and she said she plans to so she can resume caring for her grandchildren.

Carter said she and her fiance had a foster care license because they were raising Kristin and four other grandchildren, and trying to adopt them. Since the license has been suspended, other family have been caring for the grandchildren, Carter said.

FAMILY LEFT GRIEVING

On Nov. 13, the family woke up early and then went back to sleep, Carter said. When Carter got up to give Kristin her bottle, she found her unresponsive.

“I picked her up and tried to breathe life back into her,” Carter said as she wept Thursday.

Police were called to the Payne-Phalen home at 10:45 a.m. and paramedics pronounced Kristin dead.There were 583 deaths due to pneumonia in Minnesota in 2015, according to the most recent data available from the Minnesota Health Department. More than half were people who were at least 85 years old, while 5 of the people who died were 4 or younger.

Kristin, who had turned 1 in July, was “bright, bouncy and happy,” and loved to dance and to be cuddled, her grandmother said.

“She’s missed so much,” Carter said.

Autopsy finds St. Paul foster home death of girl was natural causes; license still suspended

[Pioneer Press 2/16/18 by Mara H. Gottfried]

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