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Biological mother had suspicions : Estrella Ibarra said her social workers "never paid attention to anything I said."

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The Press-Enterprise

On Wednesday afternoon, Estrella Ibarra demanded that her child be returned from a Riverside foster home. Several hours later, police told her that her son was dead.

"I went crazy," said Ibarra, 24. "I didn't know how I was going to get through it."

Ibarra's son, 23-month-old Andrew Ibarra, died Wednesday of injuries he suffered while in the care of his foster mother, 37-year-old Cynthia Marie Jackson. Friday, the Riverside County district attorney's office filed seven felony charges, including murder, against Jackson.

Prosecutors say Andrew is one of six foster children who has been abused by Jackson. Before his death, state and county officials say there was no indication that Andrew was in danger while in Jackson's care.

But Ibarra, who lives in San Bernardino, said she saw plenty of signs that her son's life was being threatened.

She said she saw bruises and scratches on Andrew's face and arms during several visits with him at a Child Protective Services office in Riverside. Once, she noticed a bruise around her son's right eye. Ibarra says she repeatedly told her Riverside County social workers about the injuries.

"They never paid attention to anything I said," Ibarra said. "They never gave me a phone call. They never worked with me. . . . All they would ever say is that they would look into it."

But Dennis Boyle, director of Riverside County's Department of Social Services, said the department was aware of three prior allegations of abuse against Jackson, not connected with Andrew. All were later found to be unsubstantiated.

"I am not aware of any other allegations," Boyle said. Ibarra has another son, 8-year-old Miguel Angel, who is in the care of another foster parent. She has two other children who live with their fathers. Ibarra is two months pregnant.

She said Riverside CPS officials removed Andrew and Miguel from her care after she left Miguel in the care of a 15-year-old family friend in a home lacking electricity.

Ibarra says she left Miguel without adult supervision because she was going out to get money so that she could pay the electric bill. Although she admitted to some drug use, Ibarra said she has struggled as a single mother to care for her children as best she could. She said she cleans motels to earn a living.

She has been attending required parenting classes in San Bernardino County since her sons were placed in foster homes. Her last two drug tests indicated she is drug-free, she said.

Now, Ibarra says she must cope with her loss.

In all, Ibarra said she saw Andrew about 10 times since she lost custody in July 1999. She says Jackson -- whom she never met or spoke to -- prevented her from seeing Andrew more often because the foster mother was "always making excuses" to Ibarra's social workers and would cancel visits.

"I began to think that something was wrong with my child, that something was really wrong with my child," Ibarra said.

On Wednesday, Ibarra said, she stormed into a San Bernardino CPS office to talk with her social worker. She hadn't seen Andrew in six months. She demanded that he be returned. Ibarra was told that a visit would be arranged.

"My goal was to reunite with my son, and now it's like . . . " Ibarra said as she put her head in her hand, her voice trailing off. "I don't know what to look forward to anymore."

2000 Jul 22