State releases preliminary report on death of foster child

The Oregonian

October 6, 2006

State child-welfare officials finished their initial review of what happened to a 2-year-old foster child who police say was killed by her foster mother. Click here for report.

The spare, three-page report sheds little light on the circumstances surrounding the September death of Keyana Bravo-Hamilton. It says the child was brought to the hospital Sept. 4 by her foster parents, Armondo and Dunia Moreno. The toddler was not breathing, and medical staff could not resuscitate her.

Keyana and her 4-year-old half-sister, Jasmine Hamilton, had been placed with the Morenos on June 9. The couple are Jasmine's paternal uncle and his wife. State child welfare workers had recommended that both children be placed in the home. The home was intended to become the girls' adoptive placement, the report states.

Dunia Moreno has been charged with Keyana's death.

According to the report, the case file review was conducted at the Beaverton field office on Sept. 14, 15 and 29.

"However, although many documents have been translated from Spanish to English, there are still some documents that have yet to be translated, and therefore have not yet been reviewed" the team investigating the child's death, the report states.

The report also states that the team looking into the child's death has more work to do, including a review of casework contacts, substitute care placement reviews and medical services, the adoption-selection process and communication among agency staff. The report notes that staff has not yet been interviewed.