BETZY RODRIGUEZ-CENTENO - 4 yo - / Charged: Mother, Melissa Centeno and boyfriend,Sergio Luis Ortiz - Phoenix, AZ

Betzy Rodriguez-Centeno, 4, Beaten To Death By Her Teen Mother: Police

Posted: 10/15/2013 12:43 pm EDT  |  Updated: 10/16/2013 8:44 am EDT


A 4-year-old Arizona girl who died last week after her mother hit her in the abdomen may have been the victim of long-term child abuse.

The girl's mother, 19-year-old Melissa Centeno, told investigators that she struck her daughter in the abdomen while disciplining her on Friday night. She said that the toddler, Betzy Rodriguez-Centeno, complained of belly pain and vomited, but it appears neither the teen mom nor her live-in boyfriend took action until the girl stopped breathing Sunday night.

Sergio Luis Ortiz, the mother's 22-year-old boyfriend, tried to give the girl mouth-to-mouth while Centeno called 911, according to Fox Phoenix.

Emergency responders attempted to revive the girl at the apartment, then took her to a Phoenix-area hospital, where she died.

Police arrested Ortiz and Centeno on suspicion of child abuse after doctors found "suspicious bruising" all over her body. According to court documents, Centeno told police that she and Ortiz sometimes got "heavy handed" disciplining the girl.

"Their stories were not consistent with anything accidentally happening to the baby. The mother ... admitted that she knew this child was suffering," Phoenix Police Officer James Holmes told 3TV News.

Centeno faces two counts of child abuse and was held on $750,000 bond. Ortiz faces one count of child abuse and was held on $15,000 bond. Holmes told the station that both could also face murder charges.

Child Protective Services took custody of a 1-year-old who is the couple's child. Ortiz is not the biological father of the victim.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/15/betzy-rodriguez-centeno-beaten-to-death_n_4101030.html
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Mother ignored advice to get medical help, daughter dies

Posted: Oct 15, 2013 11:42 PM EDT Updated: Oct 20, 2013 11:42 PM EDT


This was a tragic story. A 4-year-old girl, beaten so severely that she had to be rushed to the hospital where she later died.

Detectives arrested the little's girl's mom and her live-in boyfriend who was caring for the little girl.

The community came together Tuesday night to hold a vigil for 4-year-old Betzy Rodriguez-Centeno. The little girl died Sunday. The vigil was organized by a Facebook group for moms that the girl's mother was a part of.

Her 19-year old mother, Melissa Centeno, and her mother's live in boyfriend, Sergio Ortiz, are charged with child abuse.

"We're just here to support the baby."

"I'm just here to show love respect as a mother."

The mother told police she hit her daughter in the stomach twice Friday and said she had been vomiting and complaining of pain since.

Sunday, a pediatrician told her to take the little girl to the emergency room but she didn't.

Centeno only called 911 when the girl stopped breathing. Doctors found bruising all over the girl's body.

Centeno said she and her boyfriend hit the little girl frequently.

"She's a beautiful angel she didn't deserve this."

"Very emotional just because I have four kids and I have daughters."

Tuesday's vigil was held at the Del Mar Terrace Apartments, where Centeno lived, near 71st Avenue and Indian School.

It was organized by a Facebook group of mothers, which Centeno was a part of.

Hours before her daughter died, a screenshot shows a post by Centeno on the Facebook group, "...idk if I should take her to the hospital cuz shes got bruses alll over her cuz of falling and don't want them to say I miss treat her cuz I dint I love my daughter and would do anythung for them [sic]."

"She posted it and people were telling her to take her to the hospital."

"She had 50, 60 posts -- take her to the hospital."

So the other mothers encouraged her to get help, but she seemingly ignored their advice.

While both the girl's mother and her mother's boyfriend are charged with child abuse, police say they could face additional charges depending on the outcome of an autopsy.

Child Protective Services has custody of the couple's 1-year-old daughter.

Read more: http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/story/23701766/2013/10/15/mother-ignored-advice-to-get-medical-help-daughter-dies#ixzz2kxz3VSUt

I posted several articles about this but they have disappeared.  ???