AdopTalk

ED: Another child killed by someone who took the child to adopt...a very INTENTIONAL act...with a promise to care for the child "better" than the child's natural parents could or would...
And, another case of our social system failing its most innocvent victims...


Cleburne man arrested in death of 3-month-old baby
By MARTHA DELLER and BILL MILLER
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITERS - TEXAS

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/local/13841521.htm

A 42-year-old Cleburne man was arrested Friday in connection with the death of a baby he was in the process of adopting, and the infant’s twin and an older child were later removed from the home by state child abuse investigators, authorities said.

David Michael Giddens was arrested on a charge of injury to child by omission resulting in death after the medical examiner found that 21/2-month-old Nicholas Hoffert sustained head injuries near the time of his death on Thursday, a Cleburne police spokeswoman said.

Giddens is being held in the Johnson County Jail in lieu of a $150,000 bond.

In a written statement, Giddens’ family said the baby’s death was accidental.

“David, our son and brother is a good man and loving father who suffers from multiple sclerosis,” said the statement, released by Giddens’ father, Roy Giddens Jr. and brother, Doug Giddens. “We make no excuses for his alleged actions, but firmly believe that this tragic death was accidental.”

Cleburne Police Sgt. Amy Knoll said investigators have determined that the baby was struck at least twice.

“This is not an accidental death,” Knoll said.

The initial charge alleged that Giddens injured his child by failing to provide him medical care.

Knoll said the district attorney could modify that first-degree felony to include the allegation that Giddens inflicted the injuries. Possible charges could include murder or capital murder.

The Giddens family declined comment beyond the written statement issued Friday.

Knoll said police initially did not suspect foul play in the baby’s death when Giddens’ wife called 911 about 2:15 a.m. Thursday to report that the baby had stopped breathing.

“I would guess she was probably checking on (the twins) or feeding them since the babies were that old,” she said.

Arriving police and paramedics took over CPR from family members, Knoll said. When those efforts failed, the baby was pronounced dead and taken to the Johnson County Medical Examiner, whose preliminary investigation revealed the head injuries, she said.

Cleburne police then launched the investigation, which led to Giddens’ arrest, Knoll said. Police are continuing their investigation while awaiting the final autopsy report, she said.

Meanwhile, case workers from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services took custody of the dead baby’s twin and the Giddens’ 9-year-old daughter late Friday after interviewing Giddens’ wife and reviewing police information about the death, a spokeswoman said.

Giddens and his wife, Latresa, apparently were adopting the twins, who were born Nov. 19 in Michigan and were brought back to Cleburne just before Christmas, according to police and state officials.

Protective services spokeswoman Marissa Gonzales said the department had closed an unsubstantiated allegation of abuse or neglect against the Giddens family several years ago involving the family’s older child, who also is adopted.

Gonzales said the earlier complaint was not a factor in the department’s decision to remove the children Friday.

“We’re concerned about the way the child died because it was a very young child and preliminary reports indicate it was a very serious injury to that child,” she said. “We want to see exactly what happened and what the police find out in their investigation.”

Gonzales said the two children will be checked by medical professionals to determine whether they were abused or neglected before placing them in foster care.

A judge will decide within 14 days whether they are returned to their mother, placed with a relative or remain in foster care, she said.