MOM RELIEVED CHARGES FILED AS DETAILS EMERGE OF TODDLER SON'S SLAYING IN FOSTER-CARE FAMILY

MOTHER, 19, GETS ANGRY

Rocky Mountain News

Odelia Baca never expected to be thrust into the public eye.

She's 19, has a seventh-grade education and last worked at a fast-food restaurant.But Baca agreed to talk to reporters Friday about the arrest of foster father Ricky Haney, charged in the beating death of her son, Miguel Arias-Baca.

"I'm happy that guy got charged, and I support the DA and the Westminster police," Baca said.

She said she believed the child abuse charge was strong enough.

Westminster police wanted to charge Haney, 37, with first-degree murder, making it a possible death penalty case. Adams County District Attorney Bob Grant made the call to file the case as non-negligent child abuse, a second-degree felony. If convicted, Haney faces 4 to 48 years in prison.

Police say he beat Miguel to death because the toddler soiled his diaper.

Social workers took Miguel and his brother Oswaldo, 17 months, away from Baca last October because she couldn't kick her crack-cocaine addiction. Also, the boys' father - Baca's boyfriend - was jailed for beating her.

Adams County then placed the boys with the Ricky and Evon Haney, a foster couple with a troubling history of being fired from private foster care agencies. Ricky Haney also had a drunken-driving arrest.

Baca was a little nervous in the spotlight Friday, often turning to her attorney, Bill Brady, for approval to answer questions during a news conference at the Children and Family's Services building in Adams County

But she seemed in good spirits. Just before the interview, she'd had her weekly visit with Oswaldo, who is in a different foster home now.

"We played in there with blocks and he was eating Cheerios," she said. "He's walking a little bit, and talking a little bit."

A social worker oversees the visit. A court hearing is scheduled in early May at which Baca hopes to have Oswaldo returned to her.

He always recognizes her, even though they've been apart about six months. "He comes to me. He knows me," she said.

At the advice of Brady, Baca declined to comment on whether she took any responsibility for her other son's death because of her drug problems. The social workers who took Baca's sons away never found any evidence that she abused or neglected them. But Baca occasionally tested positive for cocaine use.

She said she believes authorities should have done a better job checking Haney's background.

When she found out details of the attack, "I got angry, beating him because he had a diaper dirty."

Haney remains in Adams County jail under $100,000 bond.