Evil Dog or Evil Mother?
Updates:
March 16, 2007
March 20, 2007
March 25, 2007
March 26, 2007
April 22, 2007
I generally try to keep this blog confined to writing about missing and murdered children to stay with the title. However, I believe this story can be appear in this blog because I think there is more than one way to murder and child. You can take the life of a child, which in this case may turn out that way. You can also murder the trust a small child has for his or her parent. I think that can be as equally as harmful as taking the very life of the child.According to the 5-week-old boy’s mother she was sleeping in another room when she awoke to her baby’s cries. When she went into the room she found her son bleeding and the family dog, a Dachshund, standing over the baby.The baby was taken to the hospital by ambulance and was in shock due to a massive loss of blood. The baby has already had two surgeries and may need another.The other problem with this story is that the doctor’s say that the mother’s story is not consistent with the child’s injuries. They say there is no evidence of dog bites to the child.
According to Estella Olguin, CPS worker on the case:
“…If this baby survives this is something that can have physical and emotional impact on him for the rest of his life…”
“…We didn’t find anything consistent with a dog attacking this baby,” said Olguin. “We don’t know what caused the injuries, but we do know that something or someone did it…”
The mother lives with the baby’s father in the apartment where the attack took place. The mother told authorities that the father was at work at the time of the attack.Houston Police Department investigators say that the father is cooperating with the investigation but the mother is uncooperative.
Police went on to state that another problem hindering the investigation is that there was a time lag in notifying Houston Police by CPS. Apparently CPS thought this case belonged in the Webster jurisdiction so Houston Police were not immediately notified.
No charges have been filed yet. The child has been placed in the custody of CPS. The dog in question is in the custody of Animal Control.
If this child survives and the allegations against the mother are true, he will have to be told at some point why he has the scars to his genitals and groin area. He will always know that it was his mother who defaced his body and almost killed him in the process.
I am sure there will be more revealed in this sick story.
Source:
khou.com: Infant fighting for life after groin area mutilated
Update March 16, 2007 12:45 p.m. PST:
This 5-week-old baby had one surgery on Thursday to repair damage to his leg. He is expected to have another surgery today involving skin grafting to repair the wounds he sustained supposedly by the family dog.
According to Lt. William Staney a juvenile detective with the Houston Police Department the child will require massive reconstructive surgery.
The case is still being investigated and there have been no charges filed yet against the mother who was the only person in the home at the time the child sustained the injuries.
Source:
Houston Chronicle: Mutilated baby to undergo third surgery today
Update March 20, 2007 2 p.m. PST:
The now 6-week-old baby was taken of the ventilator today that was helping him to breathe. He opened his eyes today for the first time since being brought into the hospital after the mutilation attack. He once again had surgery on Monday, his fourth surgery since the attack this one to graft skin to the injured area.
It was originally thought that due to the severe arterial damage to the boy’s leg that amputation of the leg was going to be necessary. However, doctors now believe the leg will be saved.
The case is still under investigation. Investigators will be checking to see if there was drug use in the home. The mother has checked into a rehabilitation facility.
The father’s family members are asking for custody of the child. A background check will be conducted as well as home visits if family members are granted custody. A custody hearing is scheduled for March 26.
Source:
The mutilated baby’s name has finally been given out to the media. His name is Holden. Holden’s father was interviewed for the story and he did not want to be identified. I suppose that is understandable considering the circumstances of the story. He claims the reason he came out in the press is because of the outpouring of concern from the public about his son’s story. He also mentioned that a fund has been set up to cover the medical costs for his son’s extensive cosmetic and reconstructive surgeries that will take place for most likely over several years. The family does not have medical insurance and Medicaid is picking up part of the tab.
Holden’s father, who will remain nameless at this point, stated that he was at work when his son sustained his injuries. He also stated that the family dog, a miniature Dachshund, has no history of be aggressive. He also was quick to say that as much as he doubts the family dog for inflicting the injuries to his first-born child, he is also having trouble believing his wife would have inflicted the injuries to the child.
The mother of the child did test positive for drugs after the attack and because of that she is barred from visiting her son in the hospital. The father at this point is still only allowed supervised visits with his son.
Baby Holden had been taken off of the ventilator on March 20 and was breathing on his own. However, he was placed back on the ventilator the next day.
Doctors have told Baby Holden’s father that his son will face a lifetime of medical care.
Source:
Click2Houston.com – Father Of Mutilated Baby Speaks Out
The father of the mutilated Baby Holden now has a name whether he wanted it known yesterday or not. Camden Gothia appeared in Children’s Court this morning to see if he could receive unsupervised with his son in the hospital. The judge ruled that he and Holden’s two grandmothers can have supervised visits with Holden in the hospital.
Holden’s mother did not appear in court for the proceedings. According to the article Holden’s mother is receiving inpatient treatment, but did not disclose the reason for that treatment.
The hearing to determine custody of the child was postponed for two weeks. Camden’s sister is seeking temporary custody of Holden.
Holden has been taken off of the ventilator and according to his father he is getting stronger each day.
No charges have been filed regarding the attack.
Mother’s Past Criminal History
According to a Houston Chronicle article dated March 22, 2007:
The mother had been in a treatment program for heroin addiction before the incident and also abused prescription drugs.
She was arrested by La Porte police last year on a methamphetamine-possession charge but the case was dismissed after she testified before a Harris County grand jury, which declined to indict her. She appeared before the grand jury in October.
According to Harris County prosecutor Andrew Smith:
“…The baby’s mother was in a room at the Bayport Motel with a 51-year-old man when police knocked on the door and obtained consent to search the premises(…) Police found a cigarette package containing between 1 and 4 grams of methamphetamine on a bed in the room, as well as a plastic tray with marijuana residue and several plastic bags in the bathroom(…).
Both the baby’s mother and the man in the motel room were arrested. The man told La Porte police they were friends who had just met.(…)”
It would appear from this family history that Baby Holden should never have been released to go home after he was born. Certainly the attending physicians knew of the mother’s recent stint in rehab for her heroin addiction as well as her prescription drug addiction. Her ob/gyn most likely told her she needed to go into detox to avoid having the baby being born addicted to heroin.
I hope this father does not get custody anytime soon. Baby Holden needs to be in an environment that is safe.
Sources:
KHOU.com: Father visits son whose genitals were mutilated
Houston Chronicle: CPS: Mutilated baby’s mom tested positive for drugs
Baby Holden was released from the hospital into the temporary care of his paternal aunt. Due to his injuries he has to wear a catheter and the area of his injuries still require regular changes of the bandages. The judge ruled in family court that Holden’s mother cannot have contact with her son and only supervised visits are allowed with Holden’s father.
I have read a lot about this story but the gravity of the injuries to this poor little guy really hit me hard when I read the following:
“…whose penis and testicles were severed in an attack…”
“…The baby’s severed body parts were never found…”
No one has been charged for the attack on the baby and the dog has pretty much been cleared as the culprit. According to testimony on April 9th in Family Court reported in the Houston Chronicle:
“…testimony revealed investigators found no blood on the family’s pet, a 6-month-old dachshund named Shorty, and turned up no bloody paw prints in the apartment…”
“…Investigators found a large bloodstain on a sheet on the bed where the baby had been, but no bloody paw prints on the bed or the carpet nor any blood on the dog’s chin or paws…”
It is interesting to note that although investigators do not believe the mother’s story about how the baby sustained his injuries; the official reason given for barring her from contact with her son is that she tested positive for cocaine, methadone, and a minor tranquilizer the day after the incident. She is still in an inpatient drug rehabilitation center. The judge ordered her to undergo psychiatric and psychological evaluations before court convenes again in May.
The mother’s actions just after the reported incident has also pointed guilt in her direction. Apparently when she returned to her apartment after calling paramedics with the neighbors who let her use their phone. They observed the water running from the kitchen faucet. Due to this report and because the baby’s testicles and penis were never found, the garbage disposal has been taken into custody to examine it for tissue, blood and DNA evidence.
According to testimony from CPS caseworker Armando Morin:
Soon after the baby was taken into surgery the mother got a ride home from a friend.
When Mr. Morin called her and asked her to return to the hospital when she arrived she seemed “lethargic”.
“…He told the judge he accompanied the woman to her apartment that night, and she told him she had thrown away the diaper that the baby wore when he was attacked. Morin searched a large garbage bin outside while the mother stayed in her apartment smoking a cigarette. He found nothing.
Morin told the woman how important it was to find the baby’s diaper.
“I assumed she would come out and help me,” he testified…”
During the hearing the investigator was reminded by the mother’s attorney that there is a theory that someone else may have entered the Gothia’s apartment either the day of the attack or the night before. The investigator agreed that the theory has been mentioned. I am wondering who could have been inside the apartment without the parent’s knowledge. I am going to assume that the apartment is only at best a 2-bedroom unit. How could someone keep themselves hidden without being detected for almost 24 hours? Even if that theory were possible, why would someone want to come in and attack an innocent newborn?
Holden’s father has been ordered to attend parenting classes. There will be other services offered to Holden’s father as well so he can learn to avoid placing his son in future unsafe situations. I am glad that CPS addressed this issue. Camden Gothia knew his wife was using drugs again, he had seen the signs but he still left his newborn son with his girlfriend while he went off to work. I am sure he could have never dreamed that this horrible thing could have befallen his son when he left his drug-impaired girlfriend with the baby but anything is possible when drugs are involved. The words impaired parent come to mind.
Sources:
Houston Chronicle: CPS Doubts Mom’s Claim
Houston Chronicle: Baby Whose Genitals Were Severed Out of Hospital
