MOM, CHILD REUNITED AFTER SON DIES

Rocky Mountain News (CO)

A young mother was reunited with her 14-month-old son Friday for the first time since learning that another of her children was fatally beaten while in a foster home.

Oswaldo Arias-Baca was happy to see his family and appeared to be healthy, his grandmother said."It seems like he's doing good," Anita Baca said.

Her family hopes to regain custody of Oswaldo, who remains in the care of the Adams County Department of Social Services.

"I don't want him in that place," she said. "I want him home. I don't want to lose my other grandson."

Oswaldo and his older brother, 2 1/2-year-old Miguel Humberto Arias-Baca, were taken from their mother, Odelia Baca, last October because she'd been using drugs.

The two boys were placed along with two other foster children in the home of Ricky Haney, 37, and Evon Haney, 31, in Westminster.

Miguel apparently was the victim of a beating the night of Jan. 31. His foster parents took him to the hospital early the next morning. They told authorities he'd fallen off a toilet.

Miguel died Feb. 2. His family didn't find out until Thursday because they'd recently moved and officials didn't have their phone number or address.

Westminster police have told Ricky Haney he is the focus of a murder investigation.

Anita Baca and other family members say they want to know  how the Haneys, both of whom had suspended driver's licenses and other legal problems, had been approved to be foster parents.

"They didn't give us any answers yet," Anita Baca said of the Department of Social Services.

Meanwhile the family will concentrate on winning custody of Oswaldo.

"He was happy," Anita said, her voice choked with emotion. "Every time I said I'm going bye-bye, he reached his hand up like he wanted to go home."