Tot hurt - mom wants him out of foster care

The Salt Lake Tribune

PROVO - The biological mother of a baby beaten while in foster care says she believed he would be safe with the foster parents."They told me that Andrew was in a safe place, that they hadn't met any better family - that they were perfect," said Jamie Richardson, of Price.

The boy turned 1 on Thursday. "And he spent it in a medical bed in a coma," she said.

After the boy was airlifted Dec. 5 from his American Fork foster residence to Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City, doctors put the baby into an induced coma. An MRI showed bleeding on the brain and evidence he had similar bleeding in the past, injuries consistent with shaken baby syndrome.

Foster dad James Ryan Hadlock was arrested on suspicion of child abuse but was released the next day on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to appear today in 4th District Court.

Richardson is restricted to supervised visits, as the child remains in state custody.

But the state has offered to pay her costs commuting between Price and Salt Lake City, said Carol Sisco, spokeswoman for the Utah Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS).

"Baby Andrew" was placed in foster care last August following allegations of drug use in Richardson's home.

Her three older children live with their biological father.

The baby was on track to be adopted. Richardson's lawyer, Don Torgerson, said recent developments may buy his client enough time to regain custody.

"I'm going after my son even if it means suing the state of Utah," Richardson said. "Whatever it takes to get my son back in my arms to take care of him. If they take him to another foster family, will this happen again? That's the only way I see it now."

Richardson said that as early as two months ago she reported signs of abuse to DCFS, including pictures of the boy in October that showed fingerprint-shaped bruises on his face.

Sisco confirmed two separate DCFS investigations on Oct. 23 and Nov. 17, but would not divulge details.

"With that kind of investigation, you open it up and look at everyone the child has come in contact with, including the mother, baby-sitters and relatives. Sometimes you look at everything and there's no evidence," said Sisco.

Abuse by foster parents is rare, DCFS reports. Fewer than 1 percent of children in state custody fell victim to maltreatment at the hands of their caregivers.

Sisco said the last time a child died at the hands of a Utah foster parent was in October 2003. The victim's name was Casey Barrow; he was 18 months old. The foster mom, Jeannette Ilene Gomez, is serving one to 15 years in Utah State Prison.  Hadlock and his wife applied to become licensed foster parents about a year ago, said Sisco. They passed a routine annual criminal screening in August.

Utah foster parents also undergo psychological and physical examinations and must submit at least four character references, pass a "home study" and undergo 32 hours of parenting skills training.

For now, Baby Andrew's status has been upgraded to serious, and he was taken out of the coma, Sisco said. He still has not regained his eyesight, Richardson said.

"[The custody judge] told me I can decide in 15 minutes what happens with this boy the rest of his life," she said.

"Here's my question, 'Did it take that long for them to shake him?' "

kstewart@sltrib.com