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Infant dies after baby sitter falls
Bereaved parents criticize CPS for taking caregiver's children
ALLEN – George and Kimberly Galdiano's baby sitter runs a Web camera that allows parents to check in on their children throughout the day. Mr. Galdiano did not use it often. But Wednesday morning he did.
He watched his 10-month-old daughter, Ezri, playing near the toy box – the last time he saw her alive.
Less than an hour later, while carrying Ezri down the stairs at her Allen house, baby sitter Ann M. Perry lost her balance and fell. The child was flown to Children's Medical Center Dallas, where she was pronounced dead, said Capt. Robert Flores, an Allen police spokesman.
"She was sitting in front of the toy box smiling and playing with toys and just having a good time," Mr. Galdiano said in the living room of his Allen home Thursday. "I'm very happy that I have memories of me kissing her, her blowing me a kiss and her playing with toys and enjoying life."
After Ms. Perry dropped the child, Ezri tumbled downward, striking her head on a wall at the bottom of the staircase. She lost consciousness, and paramedics administered aid when they arrived at the house in the 1300 block of Normandy Lane about 9:15 a.m., police said.
The Perrys' two children, who were staying with friends of the family, were placed in the custody of Child Protective Services on Thursday, Mr. Galdiano said. He and his wife said that was an injustice.
CPS officials declined to comment on the location of the Perry children.
Spokeswoman Marissa Gonzales said CPS has no history with Ms. Perry or the Galdianos.
Capt. Flores said Allen police are investigating the incident, as is routine every time there is a death. The Dallas County medical examiner had not determined the official cause of death Thursday.
CPS statement
Ms. Gonzales said it's not uncommon for CPS to remove children while trying to find out how an incident occurred.
"Anytime there is a death, you want to work that as if it could be a murder, because you don't want to lose anything. You have to do that to protect the rights of the deceased and ... to clear the person if they did nothing wrong," Capt. Flores said.
But the Galdianos said they know that Ezri's death was a tragic accident.
"Believe me, if I thought this was anything but an accident, I'd be the first one hollering for justice," Mr. Galdiano said.
Ms. Perry, 30, has been the Galdianos' baby sitter since Ezri's older sister, Amilia, 3, was an infant. She watches the sisters, along with her own two young children, said Mr. Galdiano, 41. An unidentified man, who answered the door at the Perry home, said that Ms. Perry did not want to talk.
"My wife called Ann and said, 'I love you. We know this was an accident. And you need to forgive yourself,' " Mr. Galdiano said.
Thursday the Galdiano home was filled with family and friends offering support and comfort. They shared memories of the little girl, who had not yet celebrated her first Thanksgiving or Christmas.
They said Ezri had an infectious smile and loved to laugh. She had two bottom teeth and one top tooth. A fourth tooth was just starting to break the surface. Her first word was "Da Da" and she was just working up to "Ma Ma," her father said.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/DN-allenbaby_18cco.ART0.North.Edition2.1ca3fe0d.html
Bereaved parents criticize CPS for taking caregiver's children
ALLEN – George and Kimberly Galdiano's baby sitter runs a Web camera that allows parents to check in on their children throughout the day. Mr. Galdiano did not use it often. But Wednesday morning he did.
He watched his 10-month-old daughter, Ezri, playing near the toy box – the last time he saw her alive.
Less than an hour later, while carrying Ezri down the stairs at her Allen house, baby sitter Ann M. Perry lost her balance and fell. The child was flown to Children's Medical Center Dallas, where she was pronounced dead, said Capt. Robert Flores, an Allen police spokesman.
"She was sitting in front of the toy box smiling and playing with toys and just having a good time," Mr. Galdiano said in the living room of his Allen home Thursday. "I'm very happy that I have memories of me kissing her, her blowing me a kiss and her playing with toys and enjoying life."
After Ms. Perry dropped the child, Ezri tumbled downward, striking her head on a wall at the bottom of the staircase. She lost consciousness, and paramedics administered aid when they arrived at the house in the 1300 block of Normandy Lane about 9:15 a.m., police said.
The Perrys' two children, who were staying with friends of the family, were placed in the custody of Child Protective Services on Thursday, Mr. Galdiano said. He and his wife said that was an injustice.
CPS officials declined to comment on the location of the Perry children.
Spokeswoman Marissa Gonzales said CPS has no history with Ms. Perry or the Galdianos.
Capt. Flores said Allen police are investigating the incident, as is routine every time there is a death. The Dallas County medical examiner had not determined the official cause of death Thursday.
CPS statement
Ms. Gonzales said it's not uncommon for CPS to remove children while trying to find out how an incident occurred.
"Anytime there is a death, you want to work that as if it could be a murder, because you don't want to lose anything. You have to do that to protect the rights of the deceased and ... to clear the person if they did nothing wrong," Capt. Flores said.
But the Galdianos said they know that Ezri's death was a tragic accident.
"Believe me, if I thought this was anything but an accident, I'd be the first one hollering for justice," Mr. Galdiano said.
Ms. Perry, 30, has been the Galdianos' baby sitter since Ezri's older sister, Amilia, 3, was an infant. She watches the sisters, along with her own two young children, said Mr. Galdiano, 41. An unidentified man, who answered the door at the Perry home, said that Ms. Perry did not want to talk.
"My wife called Ann and said, 'I love you. We know this was an accident. And you need to forgive yourself,' " Mr. Galdiano said.
Thursday the Galdiano home was filled with family and friends offering support and comfort. They shared memories of the little girl, who had not yet celebrated her first Thanksgiving or Christmas.
They said Ezri had an infectious smile and loved to laugh. She had two bottom teeth and one top tooth. A fourth tooth was just starting to break the surface. Her first word was "Da Da" and she was just working up to "Ma Ma," her father said.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/DN-allenbaby_18cco.ART0.North.Edition2.1ca3fe0d.html
