Arrest of foster father in death praised by mom

The Denver Post

After visiting her surviving baby Friday, Odelia Baca stepped out into a cold wind in front of the Adams County Children and Family Center to praise police for arresting the man accused of killing her other son.Flanked by two attorneys, she said she was pleased that foster father Ricky Haney was arrested Thursday on suspicion of child abuse resulting in death. Haney, 37, is accused of beating 2 1/2-year-old Miguel Arias-Baca after coming home from a Super Bowl party.

"I'm happy the guy got charged," said Baca, 19. "I support the DA and the Westminster police."

Miguel died Feb. 2 of massive "non-accidental" head trauma, an autopsy report said.

Miguel and his younger brother, 17-month-old Oswaldo, were placed in Ricky and E'von Haneys' Westminster foster home in October. Caseworkers took the children away from their mother because of her addiction to drugs.

Odelia Baca said she is trying to regain custody of Oswaldo and has a hearing set for May 6. She said she spent an hour with Oswaldo on Friday, playing with blocks and Cheerios.

"He looks good and he's doing really well," she said.

Oswaldo and two other foster children were removed from the Haneys' care the night the couple took Miguel to the hospital.

Odelia Baca criticized government officials for failing to thoroughly check the Haneys' background. "They should have checked their background before they placed him," she said.

The Haneys worked through a private child-placement agency, an element of foster care that is coming under scrutiny because of a lack of government oversight.

The Haneys each have recent arrest records - he for drunken driving in 1997 and she for theft in December. But the Colorado Bureau of Investigation failed to notify All About Kids about the arrests because of two separate glitches, the bureau has admitted.

Haney, being held at the Adams County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail, made his first court appearance Friday. He was advised of the charges and is due back in court Friday. If convicted, Haney could face 48 years in prison.

Baca and her lawyers declined to comment Friday about the possibility of a lawsuit against Adams County or the private child-placement agency.

An arrest affidavit indicates Haney admitted he had been drinking the night of Jan. 31. He reportedly told police he slammed Miguel on the floor after finding the boy had soiled his diaper. Haney said he then smeared feces on Miguel's face and placed him on the toilet.

Staff writer Marilyn Robinson contributed to this report.