Ex-foster mom was a racist, girl testifies

St. Petersburg Times

Author: MARK JOURNEY

CLEARWATER - Shannon Patrick was only 8 years old, but she knew something was wrong with the baby. Just weeks earlier he was happy and alert, she said. Then, he became lifeless ''like a blanket. When you drop it, there he lay.''

Shannon, now 11, testified Wednesday in Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Court that she warned former foster mother Judith Lundy that the child appeared ill the night before he died.

''I said, 'There's something very wrong with the baby,''' Shannon said. ''She said, 'There's nothing wrong with him.' ... His eyes were rolling back and forth. I almost cried.''

Mrs. Lundy, 50, is charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of 4-month-old foster child Corey Greer. If convicted, she could be sentenced to up to seven years in prison under state sentencing guidelines.

Shannon, one of the foster children at the Treasure Island home, also said that she agreed to care for Corey after state social workers placed him in Mrs. Lundy's care July 7, 1985. Mrs. Lundy didn't realize Corey and his sister were black until they arrived at her home, Shannon said.

''She said she had never had any black children at her home. She said they were n-----s,'' Shannon testified in the first day of the trial. ''She said she didn't like them. She said she didn't want to care for them.''

Prosecutors say Corey died from dehydration and too much sodium in his blood July 21, 1985, after he was left in a steamy room that reeked of urine and feces. They say excessive sodium in the blood can be caused by too much salt, not enough water or extreme loss of water.

When Corey died, Mrs. Lundy was caring for 12 foster children in addition to her natural child, although she was licensed by the state Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services (HRS) to house only four.

Defense attorneys say Corey had been sick since birth, suffering from respiratory stress that could have caused brain damage. They say he almost died after he was hospitalized by his natural mother June 17 because he had too little - not too much - sodium in his blood. As a result, Corey suffered from seizures, defense attorney Ky Koch said in opening arguments.

''This child was almost dead two and a half weeks before Judy saw him - ever knew he existed,'' he said.

An autopsy showed Corey's organs contained fluid and food, Koch said.

Defense attorneys also blame HRS for continuing to place foster children in Mrs. Lundy's care even though she said she could handle no more. Koch said she protested to HRS officials in November 1984. That same month the state agency sent Mrs. Lundy a letter thanking for her commitment to foster children.

By July Mrs. Lundy was caring for 12 foster children age 4 months to about 10 years, Koch said. He said most of the children wet their beds and about half wore diapers.

''There are two very distinct sides to this story,'' Koch said. ''There were two horrible tragedies in July. One was the tragedy of Corey's death, and one is the tragedy of'' HRS.

After Corey's death HRS officials admitted that they hadn't done enough to make sure children were placed in clean, uncrowded foster homes. They said in the report to former Gov. Bob Graham that Corey's death illustrated the need to reform the system for taking care of abused and neglected children. HRS also admitted that 13 workers were negligent in the boy's case.

Regardless of what HRS did, Mrs. Lundy neglected Corey because of racism and should have known he was sick, prosecutors say.

Mrs. Lundy ''told other adults, 'Have you ever touched a black baby'?'' Assistant State Attorney Doug Crow said in his opening argument. '''You don't know what it's like. It gives me the willies.' And she shuddered visibly.''