How Could You? Hall of Shame-Angelina Espalin 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 Vista, California, foster mother Dania Haros, 26, was sentenced to 16 years in prison for “causing her 4-year-old foster daughter’s death by slamming the child into a headboard and other bedroom furniture.”  She “pleaded guilty in December to voluntary manslaughter and child abuse in the Nov. 19, 2006, death of Angelina Espalin.”

“Angelina Espalin was in Haros’ care for 5 1/2 months before she died.”

“The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office declared the child’s death a homicide, but it took about a year to investigate the crime, Mok said.”

“In a 2008 preliminary hearing, an investigator testified that Haros admitted knocking Angelina’s head into bedroom furniture three times before the child lost consciousness.”

“Oceanside police Sgt. Jeffrey Novak testified that Haros admitted that she started hurting Angelina two months before she died.Novak said Haros initially said Angelina had fallen down a flight of stairs two days before she lost consciousness.”

Woman Sentenced In Fatal Beating Of Foster Daughter, 4
[10News.com 4/21/11]

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