exposing the dark side of adoption
Register Log in

Foster mother charged with killing boy, abusing girl

public

By Crocker Stephenson and Ryan Haggerty of the Journal Sentinel, Nov. 13, 2008

A 24-year-old Milwaukee foster mother was charged Thursday with beating her infant nephew to death and severely abusing her 2-year-old niece. State officials placed the siblings in the woman's care in June, after a West Allis couple who had been caring for the boy tried to adopt him.

Police say Crystal P. Keith began harming the girl almost as soon as she arrived at Keith's home in the 3000 block of S. 12th St., and began abusing the boy, Christopher L. Thomas Jr., in October. According to investigative reports, Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare case workers who are required to have monthly contact with the children, had not been to Keith's home since Sept. 23. Christopher died Tuesday.

Bureau officials have vowed to review the case, which one homicide investigator called one of the worst infant abuse deaths he has seen.

"There are not many cases where there's torture that goes on for a period of months," Milwaukee Police Lt. Alfonso Morales said.

Keith is charged with first-degree reckless homicide and physical abuse of a child causing great bodily harm. She is being held on $200,000 bail at the Milwaukee County Jail. Keith is married to the brother of the children's biological father. Her husband has not been charged in the case.

The West Allis foster mom who wanted to adopt Christopher burst into tears when she learned he was dead.

"We loved him so much," said Darlene M. Logan, 63, a retired teacher.

Keith told police, whom she called to her home Monday, that she repeatedly slapped Christopher in the face for not eating, according to the criminal complaint. She said she choked him, hung him upside down and pressed his head on the floor. At some point, the infant's eyes rolled back into his head and he began to vomit. He stopped breathing. She then stuck the handle of a hairbrush down Christopher's throat, she said, in order to revive him.

The boy died the next day at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. He had suffered blunt-force trauma to his head, had a broken right arm, bruises on his thighs, throat and neck, multiple scalp injuries and a lacerated tongue. Keith described to police a number of beatings she had given the child since he began crawling.

Keith also told police she began abusing the boy's 2-year-old sister in June, the complaint states.

Burns, fractures

Doctors found burn marks on the child from her head to her feet. She had ligature scars on her back and chest, as well as to her neck, left armpit and legs. She had many broken bones. She was severely undernourished; her body weight, according to the complaint, put her among the lowest 1% of children her age.

Keith told police she scalded the girl with hot water. Her scalded feet had been bandaged, but the blisters broke, adhering the bandages to her feet.

When the girl was brought to Children's Hospital of Wisconsin after her brother's death, medical workers had to soak the bandages off, records show.

A medical report called the girl's injuries blatant, and it is unclear why Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare case workers did not notice the abuse.

"With the Police Department, medical examiner and other authorities, we are investigating this tragic incident," said Denise Revels Robinson, director of the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare.

"When we learn all of the facts surrounding this situation, we will take all necessary and appropriate action," Robinson said.

She said the agency vetted Keith before placing the two children in her home.

"Before BMCW places any children in out-of-home care, a home visit is made to ensure the home is safe, criminal background checks are conducted on every household member 10 years of age and older and a check for past child abuse/neglect history is also conducted," she said.

Mother ill; father jailed

According to a medical examiner's office report:

The boy and girl were taken from their mother about five months after the boy's birth on Oct. 14, 2007. The mother suffered from mental illness and admitted to shaking her daughter, who was diagnosed at the time with failure to thrive. The mother told police she punished the children twice a day.

The boy's father was arrested in late 2007. He pleaded guilty in June to manufacturing/delivering cocaine and is now in custody at the House of Correction, according to court records.

Christopher was placed in temporary custody with the Logans.

"He was a good baby. He laughed all the time. It made you feel good just to be around him," Darlene Logan recalled.

Christopher's sister, who was unable to talk, was placed with Rosie Ferguson, a 63-year-old special treatment foster parent in Germantown. Ferguson said Christopher joined his sister with Ferguson in May.

In June, they were placed with the Keiths.

Ferguson said she called the Keiths frequently and visited them over the summer. The children appeared to her to be doing well.

But two weeks ago, Ferguson said, she called and spoke to Keith, who told Ferguson the children were still sleeping. That struck Ferguson as odd because it was 10 a.m.

Thursday, when Ferguson was told of the boy's death and the girl's abuse, her voice cracked.

"Oh God," she said. "I'm so hurt."

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/34424614.html

Related Material:

2008 Nov 29