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WOMAN CHARGED WITH MURDER OF ADOPTIVE SON; COPS HEAR COMPLAINTS OF LONG-TIME ABUSE

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Author: DEBORAH COOMBE

A Brick Township woman was charged yesterday with beating to death a 3- year-old boy she and her husband may have illegally adopted along with his brother from Honduras, authorities said.

Kathleen Kelly Golebieski, 37, of Midpark Drive was charged with the first-degree murder of Kyle Golebieski, who died from head injuries Sunday at Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune.

Ocean County Prosecutor Dan Carluccio said at the first court appearance of Mrs. Golebieski and her 37-year-old husband, Joseph Golebieski, that evidence is "clear and convincing" that the fatal beating was not a "single loss of temper," but a "course of conduct" that had been taking place for weeks. About three weeks ago the couple moved to Brick Township from Shrewsbury, where neighbors had reported abuse of the boy three times to the Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS), the last time in June, Carluccio said.

He added authorities were told by their Brick Township neighbors that people had seen Mrs. Golebieski abuse the boy on a street near her home about a week ago and threatened to call police if she did not stop.

A complaint signed by Brick Detective John Bender charges Mrs. Golebieski with purposely or knowingly inflicting serious bodily injury on Kyle from June 18, the date of the last DYFS visit, to Friday.

Both Golebieskis are charged with causing Kyle to be abused or neglected while they had a legal duty to care for him. The complaints signed by Bender allege the abuse began in November.

Superior Court Judge Peter J. Giovine in Toms River set bail for Mrs. Golebieski at $200,000 and for her husband, who works at Ft. Monmouth, at $50,000. They were lodged in the Ocean County Jail in Toms River.

A report by the pathologist who autopsied the boy's body reported the cause of death was blows to the head. Carluccio said some kind of implements were used in the fatal beating, and the body showed evidence of past injuries in various stages of healing.

At a press conference following the court appearance, Carluccio said Mrs. Golebieski called Brick police at 2:42 p.m. Friday. After police saw the condition of the unconscious boy, an ambulance and the prosecutor's office was called.

Kyle was taken to the trauma unit at Jersey Shore. He never regained consciousness and died early Sunday, Carluccio said.

The prosecutor said the victim's 2-year-old brother, Ryan, is in good health, and there is no indication he was abused. DYFS has placed him with a foster family.

How the Golebieskis adopted the children is under investigation. Attorney Kevin Kelly, who represented them during their court appearance, said they saved everything they had and went to an adoption agency in Freehold. Mrs. Golebieski took the boys out of Honduras about a year ago.

Carluccio said there is no record of a lawful adoption, even though Golebieski family members said it was finalized in June. He said the adoption agency is being investigated and has moved to Florida.

Kelly countered that all adoption records are in Honduras.

The prosecutor said the law requires that adoptions be made through an approved agency that investigates the family and visits the home over the course of a year before a judge in New Jersey finalizes the adoption.

The boys had alien registration cards under the name of Kelly, Mrs. Golebieski's maiden name. Carluccio said investigators at this time do not know the children's original names or the whereabouts of their natural parents.

1993 Aug 4