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Seth Ireland case

Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 8:23 pm
by Marina
This case has had a lot of coverage.

http://www.cbs47.tv/news/local/story/Fa ... px?rss=153

Father Blames C.P.S. for Son's Death


The father of the 10-year-old boy who was beaten to death in Fresno says Child Protective Services is to blame.

...

Police say the boy's mother, Rena Ireland, watched as her boyfriend, LeBaron Vaughn brutally beat her son into a coma. The boy died from his injuries on Tuesday.

Joseph Hudson lost custody to the boy's mother back in August. He says that's when he realized his son was being abused and reported it to child protective services.

Hudson said, “I've been pleading with them since last August, when I started noticing these signs of child abuse."

In November, the principal at Seth's school sent a letter to Child Protective Services saying she was very concerned about Seth and his brother and that both boys have come to school with bruises. Hudson says even then, C.P.S. did nothing to help the boys.

On the day after Christmas, the boy’s mother and her boyfriend told Sheriff’s Deputies that Seth and his brother were mentally ill and tried to leave the boys at the Fresno County Jail but ended up taking them home. Three days later; Seth was beaten into a coma and later died.

Catherine Huerta with Children & Family Services said, "The public has a right to be very concerned about what happened. There's a 10-year-old that's been brutally beaten. So they have a right to say, what was my role, what was I doing, how were we involved in it." Huerta also says she can't discuss the details of the case because of privacy laws but she's confident her department did everything possible to protect the boy. Huerta said, "We would never, ever do anything to jeopardize the safety of a child. I can absolutely guarantee you."

Seth's father isn't convinced. He believes the system failed his son. Hudson said, "My son went, slipped through the cracks, so to say and was not protected like he should have been."

Both LaBaron Vaughn and Rena Ireland pled not guilty in court on Wednesday.

Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 12:35 pm
by anxiousmom
That is so sad!!!!!!!!!!!!!