IN - Jada Bozeman, 13 mos, scalded to death, Gary, 20 May 2005

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Mom’s testimony is under scrutiny
Mom’s testimony is under scrutiny
Tuesday, may 24, 2005

By Lori Caldwell / Post-Tribune staff writer



GARY — Her mother claims tiny Jada Bozeman fell into a bathtub of hot water, causing the burns that killed her 13-month-old daughter.

But the tot’s lifeless body tells another tale.

“The child had been manually submersed in scalding water, which was confirmed by the burn pattern/markings,” Lake County Coroner David Pastrick said Monday.

Bozeman died Sunday morning, two days after she suffered first- and second-degree burns over 85 percent of her body, Pastrick said.

She was burned on her lower face and jaw, the base of her head, neck, upper chest, left shoulder, her entire back, back of her upper arms and forearms, the front and back of her thighs, shins and calves, court records state.

http://www.post-trib.com/cgi-bin/pto-story/news/z1/05-24-05_z1_news_14.html
 
Grandparents seek custody of dead infant's siblings

Parents of 13-month-old girl who died of severe burns charged with neglect

BY JERRY DAVICH
jdavich@nwitimes.com
219.

This story ran on nwitimes.com on Wednesday, May 25, 2005 12:33 AM CDT



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CROWN POINT I The maternal grandparents of 13-month-old Jada Bozeman, who was allegedly scalded to death by her parents, appeared before a Lake County judge Tuesday morning.

The grandparents requested custody of Jada's four older siblings, temporarily held in custody at an emergency shelter by Child Protective Services.

The parents of the five children -- Robert Bozeman II, 29, and Tiffany Roby, 27, of Gary -- have been charged with neglect after Jada died from hot water burns that covered 85 percent of her body. Both parents are in custody at the Lake County Jail.

Sitting before Juvenile Court Judge Mary Beth Bonaventura, the grandparents appeared nervous, yet polite, allowing their public defender to do most of the talking.

During the hearing at the Lake County Juvenile Justice Center, several photographs of Jada's body, taken at the coroner's office, were handed to the judge. She chose to look only at the top one.

The autopsy report listed "child abuse, child neglect."
http://nwitimes.com/articles/2005/05/25/news/lake_county/eff45e9dd0e438098625700b006fa3ff.txt
 
I know I might be nit picking but why would the grandparents need a public defender I thought a public defender was court appointed for the indgent charged with a crime. Why would their public defender tell the judge "The grandparents' public defender said any allegations of substance abuse against them were unfounded" if they have nothing to hide. Also if this grandmother went to see the grandkids "everyday" why had she then all of sudden not go see them Friday the day this happend to the precious 13 month baby she said she didn't know about it until Sunday "yeah right" This woman reminds me of Jackie P
JMHO
 
GARY, Ind. -- Police say a Gary couple did not seek help for a severely burned 13-month-old girl, fearing authorities might think they intentionally placed their daughter in scalding bath water last week.

Without medical treatment, Jada Bozeman could not overcome the burns that scarred 80 percent of her tiny body -- and she died of complications early Sunday.
In court documents filed in the case, investigators say Roby told them she didn't seek help for Jada because she "was scared they would think I did it on purpose. Plus, I thought she would be OK."
After Roby pulled Jada from the tub, Bozeman heard her screams and came to the bathroom, where he dried the child off with a towel. The couple told police they rubbed cocoa butter and Vaseline on the burns, which resulted in the top layers of skin peeling off the girl.

"It is really a sad situation. I think people will (ultimately) look at it as a mistake," said the elder Bozeman. "They are young. A young couple like that could presume a child could heal up."

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050524/NEWS01/505240382


um, no.
this was not a "mistake".
a mistake is forgetting to fasten the diaper
all the way and having a baby leak on you.
a mistake is forgetting the diaper bag at home,
a mistake is FIXABLE.

This is not a mistake.
This was a coverup.

This makes me sick:sick:
poor poor little angel!!!

:(
 
OMG!!! How awful. If the water was hot enough to burn the baby - they would have seen the steam from the tub. I can't help but feel this was deliberate. Poor thing.
 
It's excused as their being a "young" couple. I do not consider late 20's as young. Late 20's tells me that they were old enough not to pick their *advertiser censored**es in scalding water. You can't tell me that this child didn't cry constantly in pain. This is such BS. Talk to the older kids. Bet they tell a different story. Yet another example of two people that need to be FIXED!
 
AGREED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :furious:

I was a teenage mother so for me that "they are young" b.s really gets me.
I was young but my child never was never SCALDED nor if he needed medical attention for any reason was it DENIED.

The burning may have been an accident(yeah right!!!) *BUT* when they made the choice to NOT get treatment that moved into CRIMINAL TERRITORY!!!!!
 
Agreed!

When they use the "excuse" that they were young,
it is not only disrespectful to the many young parents out there
that do a damn good job or parenting.
it's also opening the flood gates to other rotten parents
to find excuses for their behaviour.

i'm so ANGRY at the word "MISTAKE"
ARGGGGGGGG

it was a Mistake????
what about "It was a Horrible Accident"
that would've sat a lot better with me.

It was a Mistake- that the baby died and now
they have to answer a lot of questions.
that's what they meant I'm sure.

Freakin people..

How many times have we ALL heard about
NOT leaving a tub of water (Hot OR cold)
standing, with small children in the house?

GRRRRRRRR
sorry. this just really pisses me off.

how about the fact that the little girls
skin was Peeling off..
hmm.. maybe that was a clue to get medical treatment??!!!!! :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:
:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :furious: :furious: :furious: :furious: :furious: :furious: :furious: :furious: :furious: :furious:
 
This quote from the paternal grandfather of the little girl got me . . .

Bozeman said his son loved his children and recently had used his tax refund check to purchase a 1992 Buick station wagon so he could transport the entire family.

"That's how much he loved his kids," he said.

I'm really not sure what to do with that. I thought providing for your family was part of being a responsible parent. :waitasec:
 
LadyGraffix@mac.com said:
This quote from the paternal grandfather of the little girl got me . . .



I'm really not sure what to do with that. I thought providing for your family was part of being a responsible parent. :waitasec:
I'm thinking...what did he do before he bought the car...leave the kids home?
 
Is it just me, or am I the only one that thinks that it's far-fetched to say a 13-month old baby would get into a scalding hot bath tub?

:furious: I think it's another one of those *stories* to excuse what happened.
 
I started a thread on this case last night with info I grew up close from Gary and have alittle more info into the case. The thread I started was
Mom’s testimony is under scrutiny which has the info from Sunday until yesterday when grandparents went to court.
 
golfmom said:
Is it just me, or am I the only one that thinks that it's far-fetched to say a 13-month old baby would get into a scalding hot bath tub?

:furious: I think it's another one of those *stories* to excuse what happened.
I don't believe it's far fetched that a 13 month old would get into a tub.
I think what IS far fetched is that the water was THAT damn hot!

That to me sounds far fetched.
Also their "reason" for not seeking medical treatment
is also far fetched.

Think about it... why would normal parents Fear that someone
might think they did something wrong to their children?
I bet in the next few days we'll hear about allegations
of other abuse by these two "parents"
 
could we get the two threads linked together?
or just post on one and not the other?

I knew it sounded completely wrong.
poor child. :(

and as far as the grandparents go.. I don't
really have a good feeling for them either.
that whole comment about them being
young parents and using the word mistake..
 
However, two of the children are in bad need of haircuts, saying their hair hasn't been combed in two weeks.

The mother told caseworkers she "didn't get to it."

----------

I was right ... medical testimony said that the burn patterns show that this little girl was submerged in the water!
:furious: :furious:
 
Jeana (DP) said:
Thanks darlin. I merged them!!
*lol*
sheesh I can't even finish typing about a merge and it happens!!

You mods are fast! :)
 

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