Thursday, November 30, 2006
CARSON CITY - Six inches taller and twice the weight she was when she escaped the confines of her family's Como Street apartment nearly a year ago, a Carson City girl asked a judge Wednesday to lock her grandmother up until she was 85 years old.
"Because of you, instead of driving a car, going out on dates, looking and feeling like a regular teenager, I am now a 17-year-old in fourth grade, learning what I should have learned a long time ago," the 98-pound Jasmine said breathlessly but unflinchingly to her grandmother, Esther Rios, 57. "I am 4 feet, 6 inches tall. I still can't walk or run right. My teeth are badly damaged. I need glasses now. I really don't know who I am or where I belong because of you."
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On Wednesday, looking like a 7-year-old, a now 12-year-old David was dressed smartly in a suit and tie, with glasses resting on his nose. He took the stand for the first time and spoke directly to his mother and grandmother.
"Grandmother, why did you lock me up? Why did you beat me and my sister and make (another sister) bust open my head? You didn't feed me for three days. You were mean to me and my sister," the 4-foot-tall boy said as he glared at Esther Rios. "I should be in sixth grade, but I'm in third because you wouldn't let me go to school. I'm short because you wouldn't feed me. I can never see mommy again because of what you did."
Nearly a year later, David has gained 14 pounds and is able to walk. A speech impediment, making his speech hard to decipher 316 days ago, was barely noticeable after months of therapy.
Much more at link:
http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/article/20061130/NEWS/111300055