GUILTY CA - Antonia Benitez for starving 4yo daughter, Santa Ana, 2013

The poor child weighed 18 pounds when dropped off at the hospital.

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/l...a-Ana-Child-Abuse-Malnutrition-216084451.html

it's hard to tell what's going on here. She has NINE children with two men, but is raising them all as a single mom, and did seek medical care for the one who is malnourished. It might be that that child has a metabolic disorder.

It just doesn't seem fair that this mother is left completely responsible when the two fathers apparently have gotten off scott-free of any responsibility. Each of the men is the father of many children - this isn't like some stranger encounter in a bar where the dad doesn't have any idea he has a child.

Why is she the one in jail?

seems fair to me - can't take care of your kids, then stop getting pregnant ...

JeannaT said:

it's hard to tell what's going on here. She has NINE children with two men, but is raising them all as a single mom, and did seek medical care for the one who is malnourished. It might be that that child has a metabolic disorder.

It just doesn't seem fair that this mother is left completely responsible when the two fathers apparently have gotten off scott-free of any responsibility. Each of the men is the father of many children - this isn't like some stranger encounter in a bar where the dad doesn't have any idea he has a child.

Why is she the one in jail?

Click to expand...

BBM

I agree. Did the absent fathers pay her child support?

I find this article confusing too. Last July she took the child to the hospital for being underweight. Which shows she had concern for the child and for the child not gaining weight. Again this July she took the child back to the hospital. So I am thinking she wasn't deliberately starving the child.

Perhaps there is a metabolic disorder, and maybe the hospital is concerned because the mother didn't follow up on medical care in the past year? Just guessing.

I am thinking about her.
she didn't have time probably working 3 part time just for food will not be enough.
I think that social workers services have to appear earlier to help her and kids.

Why she give birth to 9? Religion, lack of money for abortion?????

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2013...ed-with-abusing-18-pound-4-year-old-daughter/

quote
Benitez’s ex-husband said she’s undocumented
Benitez is also accused of taking the child to the hospital for being underweight in July 2012,
she’s afraid she’ll never see her children again if she’s deported.

jmo - i think mexico is very catholic -if you are a good catholic, birth control is a no no
the mom is undocument mexican-i read theres alot of hate about that - asylum seekers, illegal immigrants, they are common around the world.
the mother did take the same child to hospital in 2012, so the mom is not trying to kill her, and all her other children are healthy.

quote from above link, Benitez believes the youngster’s current state is because “she (didn’t) give attention to her child in time.”

JMO mom's between a rock and a hard place, she's an illegal, but she did get her child to hospital twice, which is much more than some -legals do jmo moo

nao said:

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2013...ed-with-abusing-18-pound-4-year-old-daughter/

quote
Benitez’s ex-husband said she’s undocumented
Benitez is also accused of taking the child to the hospital for being underweight in July 2012,
she’s afraid she’ll never see her children again if she’s deported.

jmo - i think mexico is very catholic -if you are a good catholic, birth control is a no no
the mom is undocument mexican-i read theres alot of hate about that - asylum seekers, illegal immigrants, they are common around the world.
the mother did take the same child to hospital in 2012, so the mom is not trying to kill her, and all her other children are healthy.

quote from above link, Benitez believes the youngster’s current state is because “she (didn’t) give attention to her child in time.”

JMO mom's between a rock and a hard place, she's an illegal, but she did get her child to hospital twice, which is much more than some -legals do jmo moo

Click to expand...

BBM

From your link

Benitez, who said she’s on kidney dialysis, told Butler that she’s afraid she’ll never see her children again if she’s deported.

This is so so so sad. She blames herself for her daughter's failure to thrive.

Hiding because she isn't documented. This really is a case where social services should be assisting, making sure the children have food, etc.

This wording is strange accused of taking the child to the hospital for being underweight in July 2012

ITA, she is between a rock and a hard place, she needs her "village" to step up not jail time, jmo. All her children need her and according to the other articles, the 8 others were not abused by their mother. This is a mother with a chronic, serious health issue that has 9 children that most likely love her deeply.

Prayers for positive solutions for this family immediately.

quote fhc post#7
This wording is strange "accused" of taking the child to the hospital for being underweight in July 2012 - just bad grammar/journalism i think..but i did laugh a bit. I do wonder what happens to the children if she is convicted and if she is not convicted i still wonder what happens to the family - i'll probably never know.

She tried to get care for her child, even thou she's undocumented, she knew she would have to sacrifice her undocumented self .

Quote LadyL post #3
seems fair to me - can't take care of your kids, then stop getting pregnant ...

i have one child, i spawned one tiny human
this is the conversation kinda
Me -" soo i'm pregnant, i told you it was not a good time(i'm not catholic but my body did'nt like those pills(so used time method)) so you you want me to get an abortion or what?
Him -" I will always be there for you and the baby"

Well he did pop by for dinner(which i made) a couple of times and that was it.

my little human is 21 now.

She is still in custody, and her next court date is November 20th.

JeannaT said:

it's hard to tell what's going on here. She has NINE children with two men, but is raising them all as a single mom, and did seek medical care for the one who is malnourished. It might be that that child has a metabolic disorder.

It just doesn't seem fair that this mother is left completely responsible when the two fathers apparently have gotten off scott-free of any responsibility. Each of the men is the father of many children - this isn't like some stranger encounter in a bar where the dad doesn't have any idea he has a child.

Why is she the one in jail?

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I agree with you completely. She had taken the child to the hospital for being underweight before and is concerned. I would not be that quick to judge her as a child torturer just yet.

As far as her immigration status, it is not something I will debate about.

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/may/10/mom-sentenced-for-abuse-of-18-pound-4-year-old/

A Southern California mother whose 4-year-old daughter weighed 18 pounds when she was abandoned at a hospital has been sentenced to two years in jail after pleading guilty to child abuse.

Click to expand...

I am sorry for kids.
At list she didn't abandon them, she works 3 jobs to feed them. She didn't have time to care more. Maybe that she left her to older kids to take care. I am wondering if there was enough food for all, and does she have time for sleep? Poor woman.
Fathers ??
Are they responsible????? Are they appear at curt?