How Could You? Hall of Shame -Faith Saucier UPDATED-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 Hammond, Louisiana, 3-year-old Faith Saucier died last week while in foster care. Her biological mother, “Ashley Saucier battled drug problems for years, so she put her daughter into the state’s foster care system.”

The coroner’s report showed “blunt force trauma, sub-scalpular hemorraging about the head along with two perforations of the small intestines.

The report also included pictures of apparent bruises on Faith’s arms and neck.”

A gag order has prevented Ashley Saucier from further information. The case is being investigated as a homicide. No one has yet to be arrested.

3-Year-Old Girl In Foster Care Killed
[WDSU.com 4/28/11]

Update: “The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office says a 49-year-old Hammond man has been booked with second-degree murder of his 3-year-old foster child.

Jefferson Parish sheriff’s deputies arrested Mark Johnson on Wednesday in Metairie and later transported him to Tangipahoa Parish, where he was booked in the slaying of Faith Saucier, who had been in his care.

According to Tangipahoa Parish investigators, the coroner’s report shows that the toddler died of blunt force trauma to the head on April 16. The child was buried on Good Friday, in a small cemetery in Varnado, La.

A subsequent investigation led to Johnson’s arrest. Citing the ongoing investigation, the Tangipahoa sheriff’s office would not release further details.”

Man charged with killing 3-year-old foster child
[WWLTV.com 5/4/11]

Local discussion forums indicate that Mark Johnson possibly bonded out of jail with a $150K property bond set by Judge Bennett.

Update 2: “The autopsy reports states, “Homicide: Blunt force trauma, sub-scapular hemorrhaging about the head with two perforations of the small intestines.” In May, the foster father, Mark Johnson, was arrested and charged with second degree murder. He is currently out on bail. The Tangipahoa District Attorney’s Office sent a letter to the Attorney General asking to be recused from this case because, “the district attorney submits that he has a personal interest in the cause or grand jury proceeding which is in conflict with the fair and impartial administration of justice.” It is believed the personal interest is Faith Saucier’s foster mother, who is married to Mark Johnson, works in the Tangipahoa District Attorney’s Office as a paralegal. At this time, there are no court appearances scheduled for Mark Johnson. There is also no indication of when this case may move forward. This story was reported on WDSU News Channel 6 New Orleans, LA.”

Foster Father Charged in Murder of 3 Year Old
[ireport at CNN, unverified from Hammond, LA, 7/12/11]

“A 3-year-old child is dead, the person accused of her death has been arrested, charged with second-degree murder and released on a $150,000 property bond and, amazingly, the information trail seems to grow cold at that point.”

“A search of the online archives of Tangilena.com, the online edition of the Amite-Tangi Digest in the parish seat of Amite for the same terms brought up one entry — “Mark Johnson, wm, 49, second degree murder” — as part of the Tangipahoa Parish Jail bookings for May 2-9.

No one with the office of Children and Family Services in Tangipahoa Parish would comment and, at the time, Judge Edwards said, “There is truly no need for a gag order in any juvenile case. All juvenile matters are confidential by law to protect and ensure the safety of all children.”

Information hard to come by in murder case of 3-year-old foster child Faith Saucier
[Washington Parish News Blog 7/11/11]

Update 3: “The 21st Judicial District Court has set a Sept. 6 preliminary examination hearing in the case of a foster father arrested last spring for the alleged second-degree murder of a three-year-old child in his care.

Judge Ray Chutz set the P.E. at the request of defense attorney Michael Thiel, who is representing potential defendent Mark Johnson, who was charged in May with the April death of Faith Saucier, age 3, who was a foster child assigned to Johnson and his wife.

Aside from Johnson’s May arrest, there is no public file in the case, which Chutz noted has not even been heard by a grand jury.

Thiel agreed, saying that assuming there has not been an indictment in the case as of the hearing date, he will present medical evidence and other testimony regarding the the child’s death.

Chutz said he would allow it but insisted that, because the case has not so much as been given a file number, court officials must take the necessary measures to protect and preserve pre-indictment hearing documents. The veteran district court judge noted that the Supreme Court has reversed a conviction from several decades ago and ordered a new trial on the grounds that documents were not properly tracked pre-indictment

“I’m taking judicial notice,” Chutz explained, as Thiel promised he would take whatever steps necessary to preserve the paperwork in Johnson’s “temporary file.”

Very little has been written or recorded about the case, which was reportedly subject to a gag order imposed by the court’s Juvenile Judge Blair Edwards during the investigation. Within a few days after the child’s biological mother made a televised appeal asking for justice for her daughter, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s investigators announced Johnson was arrested and charged with second degree murder in the child’s death. TPSO indicated that a “blunt force trauma” to the head caused the girl’s death.

However on Wednesday, Thiel seemed confident that he could present medical proof that would provide his client with a clean defense from the charges.

The case is being prosecuted by the State Attorney General’s Office because Johnson is married to an employee of 21st Judicial District Attorney Scott Perrilloux, who recused his office from the case.”
Preliminary exam set for Sept. 6 in child’s second degree murder case
[Action 17 News 8/10/11]

Update 4: “A Hammond, LA man has been indicted for first-degree murder in the death of his 3-year-old foster daughter.

Mark Johnson, 51, was indicted Friday by a Tangipahoa Parish grand jury for the death of 3-year-old Faith Saucier who was in his foster care when she died from blunt force trauma to her body on April 16, 2011.

Following Friday’s indictment, Johnson was ordered held without bond. He will be booked into the Tangipahoa Parish Prison. ”

Man indicted for the murder of 3-year-old foster child

[WAFB 8/3/12 by Amber Stegall]

REFORM Puzzle Pieces

Update 5: “It’s been almost two years since 3-year-old Faith Saucier was beaten to death. Her grave in Washington Parish wears the time that’s passed. Family members are beyond anxious to have someone held responsible.

Saucier’s great Aunt Angela said, “It’s been very, very hard and we really want to see justice done,” said Saucier’s great Aunt Angela, who didn’t want to be identified further for fear of retaliation, “This is a child that was needlessly taken from us.”

Thursday, Faith’s case crept closer to trial as the man arrested for her murder, Mark Johnson, who was also Saucier’s foster father, had a hearing in a Tangipahoa Parish courtroom. Johnson has pleaded not guilty to the April 2011 murder and the case has been caught up in pre-trial motions, like the one Thursday, since, with no trial date in sight. Johnson’s attorney, Michael Thiel, said the state has a weal case, with only proof that Johnson was the last adult with Saucier before she died.

Saucier’s family members, still grieving after all this time, say they want answers, and soon, because it’s been far too long without them.   Angela said, “What could a 3-year-old child possibly have done to anger an adult to that point to actually take this child’s life?”

Johnson’s next court date is in May, to continue Thursday’s hearing.”

Two years after 3-year-old dies in foster care, murder case lingers

[WWLTV 3/21/13 by Ashley Rodrigue]

Update 6: “Three years after 3-year-old Faith Saucier died of blunt force trauma, her foster father Mark Johnson is standing trial for second-degree murder.

Prosecutors told a Tangipahoa Parish judge Wednesday that Johnson was the last person seen with the child still alive and was responsible for the dozens of bruises found on the girl’s body.

The lead detective in the case detailed that’s what his investigation found, which the defense says is questionable.

“Many of those bruises were explained to deputies, but part of what we’ve gone through today is they treated it as it was unimportant, insignificant and ignored it in the final conclusion about who was responsible, if anybody, for Faith’s death,” said Johnson’s attorney, Michael Thiel.

While the defense claims Saucier was known to injure herself and had medical conditions that caused easy bruising, former foster parents described the child as bubbly, full of life with a sweet personality and no traces of concerning behavior.

Also debated in court were conflicting statements from the Johnsons’ foster son about whether he had been abused in the home

“The mother is hopeful that justice will be done,” said an attorney for the child’s family, Bill Arata.

The defense says it is also looking for justice.

“Just so many different variables and possibilities, which then makes this case replete with reasonable doubt,” Thiel said.

The Louisiana Attorney General’s Office says it can’t comment during the trial. Testimony will continue through 3 p.m. Thursday, then resume Monday morning.”

Foster father on trial for death of Washington Parish 3-year-old[WWltv 4/23/14 by Ashley Rodrigue]

Update 7: “A judge has found a man not guilty of first-degree murder in the death of his 3-year-old foster daughter.

A Tangipahoa Parish district judge ruled Mark Johnson, 54, of Hammond, was not responsible for the death of Faith Saucier.

She died of blunt force trauma to her body on April 16, 2011″

Judge finds man not guilty of first-degree murder in foster daughter’s death[WAFB 4/28/14]