How Could You? Hall of Shame-Claudia Nunes 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 Cinnaminson, New Jersey, a foster mother’s boyfriend, Stephen Donaldson, 29, was charged with one count of murder in the February 12, 2013 death of 1-year-old foster child Claudia Nunes. Claudia died from blunt force injuries to the head.

“is accused of killing the child, identified as Claudia Nunes, on Feb. 12 while baby-sitting at his girlfriend’s Cinnaminson home, the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office said Wednesday.

The girlfriend’s identity was not released, and information about how long the child had been placed in her custody was not immediately available.

Donaldson was sitting for the child while his girlfriend was at work and called 911 just before 8 p.m. to report the girl was not breathing, said Joel Bewley, spokesman for the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office. Police and emergency medical technicians responded to the house but were unable to revive the girl, who was taken to Kennedy University Hospital in Cherry Hill.

She was pronounced dead at the hospital later that night, Bewley said.

An autopsy performed by the Burlington County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the child died from blunt force trauma to the head.

Further investigation by detectives from the Cinnaminson Police Department and the Prosecutor’s Office led to the murder charge being filed against Donaldson.

Bewley declined to release further specifics about the girl’s injuries because of the ongoing investigation, but he said that there were no other adults in the house with Donaldson, and that he was the “sole caregiver during the time that Claudia sustained the fatal injuries.”

The girl died the day after her first birthday, Bewley said.

Donaldson surrendered to authorities Tuesday, was processed, and was released after posting $250,000 bail, authorities said.

Donaldson’s attorney, Craig Mitnick, said the child was not murdered, but accidentally fell on the hardwood floor of the residence and tragically died from her head injury.

“The matter will be tried in a court of law, and Steven will be fully exonerated,” Mitnick said in a statement.

He said that Donaldson was baby-sitting the girl and her two cousins when the accident occurred, and that his client attempted to resuscitate the child by following instructions from a Burlington County Central Communications dispatcher.

Mitnick also said his client voluntarily gave a detailed account of the accident to law enforcement and was not charged until the medical examiner’s written findings confirmed that the child died from head injuries.

“There were no findings of any other injuries to the child, nor was there any evidence that would indicate that there was any previous pattern of abusive behavior to the child,” Mitnick said.”

Shamong man charged with murdering 1-year-old foster child

[Philly Burbs.com 3/28/13 by David Levinsky]

“Kristine Brown, spokeswoman for the state Department of Children and Families, confirmed Thursday that the agency has launched an inquiry into the death of Claudia Nunes.”

State Investigating Cinnaminson Toddler’s Death

[Cinnaminson Patch 3/28/13 by Tim Zatzariny Jr.]

“In a news release announcing the murder charge against Donaldson, the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office said the medical examiner determined the child died from blunt force trauma to the head, but the release did not go into detail about how the suspected trauma occurred.

A spokesman for the Prosecutor’s Office also declined to release further specifics other than to say that there were no other adults in the house with Donaldson and that he was the “sole caregiver during the time that Claudia sustained the fatal injuries.”

Likewise, Mitnick declined to go into detail about the accidental fall, except to say the girl fell “headfirst with some push-off” onto the hardwood floor from a distance of “4 to 5 feet.”

The Prosecutor’s Office said that the girl died the day after her first birthday and that she was a foster child in the custody of Donaldson’s girlfriend.

The Prosecutor’s Office declined to identify the girlfriend, but sources familiar with the family identified her as Claudia’s aunt, and said the girl had been placed in her care since birth.

A spokeswoman for the New Jersey Department of Children and Families declined to release any information about the child’s history, citing the open investigation and a request by the Prosecutor’s Office.

“The Department of Children and Families is investigating the matter involving the death of a 1-year-old foster child in consultation with the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office,” said Kristine Brown, director of communications and public affairs for the state agency. “We have been asked and will adhere to the request from the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office not to disclose any information regarding this matter at this time, as it may jeopardize their ongoing criminal investigation.”

An obituary published last month said the girl was survived by her mother, Crystal Buchanan, and her father, Claudio Nunes, as well as her “special aunt and second mom,” Amber Shively.

Attempts to reach Buchanan, Nunes and Shively on Thursday were unsuccessful, and the girl’s grandfather declined to comment

Mitnick described Donaldson as college-educated with no previous crimes or history of violent behavior. He said that his client was sitting for Claudia and her two cousins while her mother was at work and that he immediately called 911 after the accident.

The Prosecutor’s Office said police and emergency medical technicians responded to the house at 8 p.m. but were unable to revive the girl, who was taken to Kennedy University Hospital in Cherry Hill. She was pronounced dead at the hospital later that night.

Donaldson was charged with murder Tuesday after surrendering to authorities. He was released after posting $250,000 bail.

Mitnick said that Donaldson fully cooperated with investigators and that there was no evidence of abuse in his past.

“He had baby-sat for these children several times before, and there was never any problems,” Mitnick said. “Was there any findings (by the medical examiner) in regards to prior injuries indicative of abuse? The answer is no.””

Questions remain in child death case

[Philly Burbs.com 3/28/13 by David Levinsky]

REFORM Puzzle Pieces

Update: “A grand jury on Tuesday indicted a Shamong man on the charge he murdered his girlfriend’s one-year-old foster child.

Steven R. Donaldson, 29, allegedly caused deadly trauma to the head of little Claudia Nunes on Feb. 12, the day after she turned one year old.

Authorities said Donaldson was caring for Claudia that day inside his girlfriend’s Cinnaminson home while she was a work. Just before 8 p.m., he called 911 and said the child was not breathing.

Emergency medical responders were unable to revive her. Claudia was taken to Kennedy University Hospital in Cherry Hill, where she was pronounced dead.

An autopsy revealed the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head, authorities said. Donaldson was arrested March 26 but released after posting $250,000 bail.

The investigation into Claudia’s death was conducted by detectives with Cinnaminson police and the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office.”

Indicted: Shamong man accused of killing girlfriend’s infant foster child

[NJ.com 5/7/13 by Joe Green/South Jersey Times]

Update 2:”A Shamong man charged with killing his girlfriend’s 1-year-old foster child pleaded not guilty to murder Thursday in Superior Court in Mount Holly, maintaining the death was an accident, not a crime.

Steven Donaldson, 29, of Wesickaman Drive, was indicted this past summer on charges of first-degree murder and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child in the Feb. 12 death of Claudia Nunes of Cinnaminson. The child had just turned 1 the day before authorities said she was killed.”

Shamong man pleads not guilty in baby’s death[Burlington County Times 11/23/13 by Danielle Camilii]

Update 3: “The trial for a man charged with first-degree murder in the 2013 death of a 1-year-old girl in Cinnaminson continued Thursday, with the jury watching hours of video of him being interrogated.

Steven Donaldson, 32, of Shamong, was questioned by law enforcement officers for hours the night after Claudia Nunes died and again two days later.

Prosecutors say the girl was killed the day after her first birthday Feb. 12, 2013. Claudia was in the custody of her aunt, Amber Shively, who was Donaldson’s girlfriend at the time. He was watching her along with Shively’s twin 3-year-olds at her apartment in the Camelot at Cinnaminson Harbor neighborhood while she was at work.

About 7:50 p.m., Donaldson called 911 to report Claudia was not breathing. Emergency medical technicians testified that they rushed her to a hospital in Cherry Hill but were unable to restore her breathing or heartbeat.

An autopsy performed by the Burlington County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death to be blunt force trauma to the head. Burlington County Deputy First Assistant Prosecutor James Ronca has said testimony will show that it would take “tremendous force” to cause such injuries, and that they were not accidental in nature.

Donaldson also is facing a charge of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child.

Gerard Egan, Donaldson’s attorney, has argued that Claudia’s injuries were accidental and caused when she “launched” herself backward, landing on her head, as Donaldson tried to change her diaper.

In the videos played at the Burlington County Courthouse in Mount Holly on Thursday, Detective Sgt. Lewis DiLeo, of the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, questions Donaldson, along with Andrew Johnson of the Cinnaminson Police Department. Johnson, who responded to the scene that night, testified last week. DiLeo was on the stand as the videos were played.

“I don’t know what happened,” Donaldson says the night of the incident, sounding tired and at times difficult to hear on the video. “If a mistake or accident happened, I was not aware of it. Nothing was done on purpose.”

DiLeo goes on to tell Donaldson that “the baby didn’t make it.”

“The baby is dead, because something happened to that baby in that apartment tonight,” he tells Donaldson, adding that he was the only adult in the apartment and the only one who knows what happened. “People need to know what happened to that baby.”

“Ask the 3-year-olds,” Donaldson is heard telling the officers. “I was playing with them the whole time. … They were there the whole time.”

“You’re going to put this on 3-year-olds?” DiLeo is heard asking.

When questioned by Ronca, DiLeo said that Donaldson’s breath smelled of alcohol during the interrogation that night, and that he made “inconsistent” statements based on information on his phone. Thus, DiLeo said he had the phone turned in as evidence.

In the other video, which was still being shown when the trial ended for the day, Donaldson was questioned while his then-attorney Craig Mitnick was present Feb. 14, 2013, at the Prosecutor’s Office.

Donaldson is heard recalling his day, stating that he arrived at the apartment about 3:30 p.m., took a quick shower, and baby-sat the children when Shively left for work about 3:45. He said he played with and fed the twins, made Claudia her bottle, let her play in her walker, and tended to their needs.

About 7:30 p.m., Donaldson said the baby started crying, so he went in the bedroom to get her out of her crib and brought her into the family room to change her.

“She slipped and she fell, and that’s when she hit her head,” Donaldson says, visibly upset in the video. “I knew something was wrong, because she wasn’t holding her head (up).”

Donaldson says he was “in a state of panic,” called 911, and followed directions as he was told how to perform CPR. He says he took a “swig” of vodka and a Xanax, but it was not clear from the video of the interrogation if that was before or as he called 911.

“I’m still trying to understand what happened to the baby,” DiLeo is heard interjecting in the video, before giving Donaldson a life-size doll to act out what happened.

“She’s upset. She’s kicking and moving,” Donaldson says. “I’m trying to hold her and comfort her. She was kicking. She kicked off of me.”

Donaldson cries as he recalled picking Claudia up and her head falling backward. Acting the scene out using the doll, he shows how he cradled Claudia on his shoulder, and as he went to put her down, she fell backward from a height of about 4 feet or so onto her head.

“I knew immediately to call 911,” Donaldson says. “I was panicking at this point.”

During the interrogation, he tells officers that her head fell onto the hardwood floor, missing an area rug by about “6 inches.”

“Her head was limp,” Donaldson says, adding that her eyes were partially closed and she made “gasps” for air when he did CPR.

Superior Court Judge Charles Delehey dismissed jurors about 4 p.m. The trial is set to resume Tuesday morning.”

Defendant about baby’s death: ‘Ask the 3-year-olds’[Burlington County Times 10/23/15 by Rose Krebs]

Update 4: “A South Jersey man who killed a toddler in 2013 must serve at least 17 years on a 20-year prison sentence, a Burlington County judge decided Thursday.
Steven R. Donaldson, 32, must serve the term without possibility of parole under New Jersey’s No Early Release Act, ruled Judge Charles A. Delehey, who sentenced the Shamong man.

Donaldson was convicted by a jury in November of killing Claudia Nunes, a 1-year-old child fostered by Donaldson’s Cinnaminson girlfriend. Claudia’s first birthday was one day before her death.

Donaldson was found guilty of aggravated manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child after a five-week trial.

The investigation revealed Donaldson called 911 just before 8 p.m. on Feb. 12. 2013 to report the girl was not breathing. First responders were unable to revive her. She was pronounced dead at Kennedy University Hospital in Cherry Hill.

Donaldson claimed Claudia fell and struck her head on the floor as he was preparing to change her diaper. The Burlington County Medical Examiner determined her death was caused by blunt force trauma to the head. She suffered a fractured skull, brain swelling and bleeding, the medical examiner testified at Donaldson’s trial.

Donaldson faces additional charges related to an Oct. 29, 2015 incident in which New Jersey State Police went to his home to investigate a hit-and-run accident occurring the same day. The officers allegedly discovered heroin and drug paraphernalia on him and in his vehicle. He is charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance”

Man gets 20 years in foster child death [Courier Post Online 1/21/16 by Carly Q. Romalino]