Taken Off Life Support, Toddler Beaten by Mother Dies

The short, sad life of Hailey Gonzalez ended yesterday when hospital staff at Richmond University Medical Center on Staten Island removed the 21-month-old from life support. Gonzalez had been in the hospital since last Thursday, when the police discovered that her mother and her mother's boyfriend had thrown her against a playpen and beaten her near the point of death. The couple had waited hours before calling 911, as Hailey foamed from the mouth and twitched from her injuries.

Her mother, Marlene Medina, was re-charged with second-degree manslaughter while her boyfriend, Edwin Garcia, was charged with second-degree murder. Apparently Medina and Garcia had claimed the other was behind the crime, but prosecutors said that Garcia implicated himself. The child's biological father, Manuel Gonzalez, has been serving a 2-year prison sentence for beating Hailey when she was 2 months old. The NY Times reports, "Court documents show that when Hailey was 2 months old, Mr. Gonzalez slapped her so hard that she developed a blood clot in her eye and swelling and bruises on her face."

Medina had been investigated by the Administration for Children's Services, but was allowed to keep custody of the child because she was not believed have been involved with that incident. However, ACS had been checking up on Medina as recently as June and discovered she was living with a man. According to today's Daily News, "The caseworker told Medina she was not permitted to have a man living with her without the agency's permission," but Medina claimed she was engaged and that she was pregnant.

Manuel Gonzalez's mother, Sonia Cintron, told the Daily News yesterday, "If ACS had the best interest of my grandchild they should have made every attempt to notify me." Cintron added that Hailey's heart would go to another child who needed a transplant.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on August 14, 2007 8:01 AM

Comments [rss]

guest

Agreed, #39. A tiny child is killed by worthless people who shouldn't be allowed to care for so much as a houseplant, the grandmother of the child - who apparently did not care about the child when the child was alive - blames an overworked city agency, and all JRod and RealityCzech can do is snip at each other. Nice job, idiots.

That said, can we stress again how important parenting skills are? Society seems to expect government (from agencies like ACS to the school system) to raise kids, protect them, force them to learn. This is the family's responsibility. ACS is there to do what they can, and schools are there to provide the basics for children learning. Neither should be thought of as an excuse for parents to be uninvolved in their children's upbringing.

guest

Yeah, having "guest comments" really makes a difference.

JRod5417

Snore.

Reality Czech

Yawn.

JRod5417

Ooh, Reality's calling me names. He so smart!

Reality Czech

I can stand it as long as you GayRod.

JRod5417

Can't stand the heat can you, Reality? Telling me to shut up and be gone and all the lame comebacks. Keep it up, buddy, keep it up.

Reality Czech

You see, the real JRod speaks! Go join Generation Me now and begone with you!

JRod5417

You know what, you are sooo right. Wish I could have put some arsenic in YOUR baby bottle, but that would be too humane for an animal like yourself.

Reality Czech

Don't deny it, JRod, you love to kill babies.

JRod5417

I didn't defend anyone. The people who killed this child ARE scum. Maybe you should exercise some reading comprehension skills.

Reality Czech

Sorry JRod, I didn't realize you loved to defend poor ghetto scum.

JRod5417

Kathy Griffin wants her line back, lame-o.

Reality Czech

suck it.

JRod5417

Ew, I know you are but what am I! Grow up already.

Reality Czech

That is your opinion and opinions are like assholes and you are one!

JRod5417

"It's either offensive both ways or neither. You can't pick and choose."

Reality- You just gave me a choice. You are as irrelevant as your comments.

guest

i think they did society a favor. all they are doing is killing their own kin. If black people had abortions all the time do you think the right wing would care?

Reality Czech

Whatever. Humanity? We're talking NYC and America hwere, please.

It's either offensive both ways or neither. You can't pick and choose.