Foster mom pleads not guilty in child's death

San Diego Union-Tribune, The (CA)

Author: Dana Littlefield; STAFF WRITER

Dateline: SAN DIEGO

A San Diego woman pleaded not guilty yesterday to murder and assault charges in connection with the death of her foster son, a toddler just shy of his second birthday.

Linda Coleman, 47, surrendered to San Diego police detectives July 3 after autopsy results showed that Malachi Roberts-McBride died of blunt force trauma to the head.

San Diego Superior Court Judge David M. Szumowski set Coleman's bail yesterday at $1 million. If convicted, she could be sent to prison for 25 years to life.

Prosecutor Laura Gunn told the judge that Coleman called 911 on June 27 and reported that the child was having a seizure. Malachi was taken to Rady Children's Hospital, where doctors determined he had severe brain injuries, spinal fractures and bruising to his body.

He died two days later.

Defense lawyer Brian Watkins said Coleman has been a licensed day-care provider for 15 years and a foster mother for a decade. In that time, Watkins said, no children have been injured in her care.

"She never had a child ever even go to the hospital for falling off a tricycle," he said.

Watkins said Malachi was a special-needs child who "wasn't a stable walker." He also noted that Coleman had no criminal record.

Malachi lived with Coleman, two of her grandchildren and another foster child in her Mountain View home. The other children, ages 2, 9 and 11, were taken to the Polinsky Children's Center in Kearny Mesa, authorities said.

More than two dozen of Coleman's friends and family members came to court yesterday to show their support.

Members of the child's biological family also were present.

"Malachi was a sweet young man. He had his whole life ahead of him," said Lamont Morris, the child's grandfather, after the hearing. "We wish he was still here with us, but we know he's up in heaven."