Mother charged in death of 2-year-old ; Social worker will be sued

[Brent]

Mother charged in death of her 2-year-old son
Social worker involved in case will be sued

Unsurprisingly, there is no mention of whether the child's father might
have been able to provide a safer home to this murder victim.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/173362_raffy14.html

By SAM SKOLNIK, HEATH FOSTER AND PHUONG CAT LE
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTERS

Grant County prosecutors yesterday charged the mother of Rafael "Raffy"
Gomez, the 2-year-old Ephrata boy who had suffered broken bones and
burns before his death yet was repeatedly returned to her by state
social workers, with first-degree manslaughter.

Maribel Gomez was charged even though she will not be arrested pending
her May 25 arraignment, according to Ephrata police Chief Joe Varick.
. . .
Rafael was born on Aug. 7, 2001, with traces of cocaine and amphetamine
found in his blood.
. . .
In a related matter, a Bellingham lawyer who is involved in a suit
challenging the state's foster-care system said he will file a federal
civil-rights lawsuit today in U.S. District Court in Spokane against
Murray Twelves, the state social worker who returned Rafael from foster
care to his mother.

Three times, injuries of various degrees led state workers to remove the
little boy from the care of his mother Maribel, a recovering drug
addict. Three times, at Twelves' urging, he was reunited with his
mother.
. . .
First-degree manslaughter carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison.

Denise Griffith, the foster mother who cared for Rafael for 14 of his 25
months, said she is dismayed that Gomez is not facing more serious
charges.
. . .
Ephrata police Chief Varick said yesterday that the Gomez case was "some
of the worst child abuse I've ever seen" in his 27 years with the
department."

In fact, Varick said he pushed prosecutors to charge Gomez with
"homicide by abuse," a tougher charge that could have netted her more
time in prison of found guilty.