Leslie: The Barber

Update: 12 Year-old charged with Capital Murder, Houston Texas Boy’s family blames 7-year-old in baby's death April 23, 2009, 8:59PM The family of a 12-year-old charged with capital murder in the death of an 11-month-old baby denied the boy’s guilt Thursday and blamed instead the baby boy’s 7-year-old brother and a family conspiracy orchestrated by their grandmother. At a noon news conference outside the Harris County juvenile courthouse, the 12-year-old’s mother, aunt, attorney, family spokesman and friends stood together to declare that the boy, whom the Chronicle is not naming because he is a juvenile, was being framed by the family tasked with babysitting him. The boy’s mother, Tawanna Scott, said she was working while the baby’s mother, Shemika Brown, watched Scott’s son, along with her own baby and three sons, ages 4, 5 and 7, at her southeast Houston home on March 12. Ronald Ray, the 12-year-old’s attorney, said the baby’s 7-year-old brother threw the child down the interior stairs of the family’s townhouse or over a second-floor railing. The infant died two days later at Texas Children’s Hospital. He said one of the 12-year-old’s aunts heard the baby’s brothers say the 7-year-old did it, but were hushed and admonished by the baby’s grandmother. He said the aunt heard the grandmother tell the boys to stick together and blame the 12-year-old. CPS defers to HPD Ray said he did not know the aunt’s name or the name of the baby’s grandmother. Child Protective Services spokeswoman Estella Olguin deferred to the Houston Police Department and the district attorney’s office regarding the claims. “You would probably have to ask the police or the DA’s office what kind of evidence they had to arrest him, but obviously they had enough to make an arrest,” she said. Earlier this week, she said the children all said the 12-year-old threw the baby onto the floor. Olguin noted Thursday that investigators consider the severity of injuries to determine who could have been capable of causing them. “You consult with the medical examiner’s office and consider what’s possible and start ruling things out,” she said. Ray said the family called the press conference to answer questions about inconsistencies reported to authorities, including Scott’s involvement. Mother’s story changed The 31-year-old mother has said she arrived at the duplex after the baby was injured. Brown first told investigators she was home cooking when she heard the baby cry. However, according to CPS, she told investigators she and Scott had gone out to get something to eat, leaving at least five children alone at the duplex. Scott denied the claim. Brown could not be reached for comment Thursday. “We will investigate all relevant evidence in this case, determine its credibility and take the appropriate action,” Harris County District Attorney’s spokesman Donna Hawkins said. Scott said she had visited her 12-year-old son in a Harris County juvenile detention facility and encouraged him to stay upbeat. Asked what she told him, Scott said: “Be strong. Hold on. Keep your head up and read your Bible.” source My take: Since the mother of the deceased baby hasn't said a word - The mother of the 12 year old can come out and say whatever (change her story all willy nilly), shame. A commenter on the Chron.com webpage said that he needed a flow chart and an eraser to follow this story. My sentiment as well. I do know that when they went to interview the kids, they family was not allowed to see the children until CPS investigators had thier opportunity. The children were in corroboration saying the 12 year old beat that baby, and that mothers were not home at the time of the incedent , and were not home when they came home from school. My co-worker (who thankfully doesn't follow this blog) had been sharing with me that the mother of the deceased baby was never at home with her children, and left them constantly. She had been battling with this situation for as long as I have known her. She wanted to Call CPS but really wanted the mother to change her ways and begin taking better care of the children. She would take food for them all of the time, but whenever she would arrive to the house there were always so many children that hadn't eaten. Obviously the mother does some drug or drugs because sending your kids to school hungry and smelling pissy is a tell-tell sign of neglect. From what I heard she was out meeting guys, getting her hair and nails done, hanging out with friends, and just generally galavanding. She has received no punishment so far, and has not seen her children to help them greive. She should be sterilized, then handled by some real women. P.S. I was not sure about keeping up with this story on this story on my blog, but after some thought I realized that is MY BLOG and I can blog about whatever, whenever. I do try to share things that interest me though.