JAMES FANSHIER - 3 yo (1/2011) - Taft (SW of Bakersfield) CA

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- The Kern County Sheriff's
Department said a 3-year-old was found not breathing in a home and
died, and now the coroner is determining the exact cause of death.Deputies
said that on Sunday at about 7:35 p.m., they were sent to a home in the
200 block of Van Buren Street in Taft regarding a child not breathing.When
the deputy arrived, they said they were met on the street by the
child’s stepmother who was holding the child, the KCSD reported.
The deputy immediately started CPR, however, the child did not respond
to treatment and was pronounced dead at the home, deputies said.Homicide detectives responded to the scene to investigate.An autopsy is scheduled for Monday to determine the exact cause of death
http://www.turnto23.com/news/26595798/detail.html

Taft, Calif. —

The Kern County Coroner has identified the young boy who died Sunday in
Ford City under suspicious circumstances as James Fanshier, 3.
An autopsy was performed Monday but no cause of death has been established
“It's undetermined at this point as to cause and manner of death,” Sheriff's spokesman Ray Pruitt said Tuesday afternoon,
The cause is pending further microscopic and toxicological tests which could take up to 90 days, Pruitt said.
The boy was not breathing when Sheriff's deputies, firefighters and
paramedics were called to a small home at 200-1/2 Van Buren Street just after 7:30 p.m Sunday.
The boy was pronounced dead at the scene.
Kern County Sheriff's homicide detectives are investigating the death because of bruises found on the boy's body, Pruitt said.
“It hasn't been ruled a homicide but we are investigating it as a suspicious death,” Pruitt said.
Detectives have interviewed the two adults in the home, his biological
father's ex girlfriend and her new boyfriend, identified as Stormy Roberts, 20, and Dustin Wedel, 24.
Both have been questioned in the case and are persons of interest, Pruitt said.
“We have not classified anyone as a suspect but these are individuals
we have questioned as part of the investigation,” Pruitt said.
Detectives have also talked with the biological father and are
attempting to talk with the mother as well, Pruitt said “to try to find out what happened to this boy.”

http://www.taftmidwaydriller.com/news/x1235861036/Coroner-identifies-boy-who-died-in-Ford-City

I found this update but no information about who has been or will be arrested:

Ford City boy was victim of homicide, coroner rules
Posted Jun 23, 2011 @ 09:40 AM
Taft, Calif. — The young boy who died in Ford City in late January was the victim of a murder, the Kern County Sheriff-Coroner has ruled.
After months of tissue studies following the death, it was ruled the boy suffered multiple injuries that caused his death.
“After completing an autopsy including microscopic and toxicological studies, the cause of death for 3-year-old James Fanshier was determined to be multiple blunt force injuries and the manner of death is Homicide,” the Sheriff-Coroner said in a brief statement released Thursday morning.
Fanshier died in a small bungalow at 2001/2 Van Buren on Jan. 23.
He was staying with the ex-girlfriend of his father and her current boyfriend.
The woman ran into the street carrying the boy's body and flagged down a passing Sheriff's deputy.
Medical aid was summoned but the boy was pronounced dead.
Check Taftmidwaydriller.com for updates on this story as more information becomes available.

http://www.taftmidwaydriller.com/breaking/x2108613587/Ford-City-boy-was-victim-of-homicide-coroner-rules

17 News Investigation, Child deaths: who's protecting our children?

February 24, 2012 - 12:49 AM


Trinity Hanna, James Fanshier, Serenity Gandara and Guillermo
Alvarez... all innocent children law enforcement says were murdered by
those who should have loved and cared for them.

So how do we stop more of these senseless killings from happening?

Bill
Grimm is an advocate for children at the National Center for Youth Law.
He helped write a bill that set out to protect society's most
vulnerable citizens.

"That fact is what happens in Child
Protective Services in the state of California and in most states is
hidden," Grimm said. "The public very rarely gets a glimpse into how
Child Protective Services operates."

In 2008, the California
legislature passed Senate Bill 39. The law allows the public to get a
look into what Child Protective Services did to protect or not protect a
child when he or she dies.

"The response around the state has
been mixed. I think some counties are responding more openly and
producing records more quickly," Grimm said. "I think other counties are
not and are trying to find ways around complying with the law."

In
Kern County, when a child is murdered, 17 News sends requests for
documents under SB-39 and almost every time Child Protective Services
sends back nothing of consequence. The Department and the District
Attorney's office cite an ongoing investigation as the reason not to
release the documents.

"If there happens to be a criminal
investigation that is ongoing, perhaps no arrests, or there is an
arrest, but they have not gone to court, we are often asked not to
provide that information to the media and to the community because it
might jeopardize the criminal case," said Human Services Director Pat
Cheadle.

But, Grimm said there is another motive.

"What
is often times disclosed particularly where the agencies had past
contact in the child death is embarrassing and raises questions about
whether the public agency has done what it should have done to protect
children," Grimm said.

Grimm sites the January death of
3-year-old Trinity Hanna of Taft. Horrific details of the weeks leading
up to her death are outlined in a sheriff's report. Trinity's mother's
live-in boyfriend Eric Foster was arrested in connection with her death.


"In reading through the 46-page police report. I frankly was
startled by the fact that in early January, Trinity was taken to the
hospital with severe burns from her neck to her buttox, inflicted by
Eric. The child, I believe, said Eric burned me," Grimm said. "Trinity
stayed in the hospital for ten days so we know the severity of the burn.
How that child ended up going back to that home after that burn and
hospitalization is simply unfathomable."

Under SB-39, 17 News has
requested the CPS file on Trinity Hanna. Again, the District Attorney's
office refuses to provide the documents to 17 News even though law
enforcement already made an arrest.

"I totally agree with the
rationale behind SB-39, but I think most people would say if it's
between the public getting to know every salient detail, every salacious
part of the case or being able to prosecute successfully someone who
did this so they won't do it in the future and then later being able to
be given every detail of the case, I think most people would say that's a
small price to pay," Deputy District Attorney Andrea Kohler said.

But,
prosecuting a case can take years. Meantime, the public is left without
answers and those charged with protecting our children aren't held
accountable for those like Trinity, who many have fallen through the
cracks. For that, CPS said it does an internal investigation into each
child death.

"If you are asking me 'Are we afraid to release the
information because we are afraid that a social worker may have not
done their job?' My answer would be 'no' that's not the reason," Cheadle
said. "I would say I am proud of the work our social workers do here,
and that in the review of the cases there have been very few incidents
that involved something that could have been done better."

But, that's CPS reviewing CPS, and SB-39 was enacted to let the public decide if children are being protected.

"The
intent of SB-39 was to have an informed discussion about whether this
was a preventable death and whether there is a way of preventing other
Trinitys from happening in Kern County," Grimm said. "Without that kind
of information from the agency files it's not possible to have an
informed debate about it."

In one case where the county was more
forthcoming and gave us a lengthy file, documents show a social worker
did make an error. The child was left in the home when he should have
been more closely monitored or even removed. Two-year-old Guillermo
Alvarez died, murdered, police say, by his mother's boyfriend.

The
Los Angeles times filed a lawsuit in September asking a judge to order
L.A. County child welfare officials to release child death records. The
Times said after it began reporting on social worker errors, the release
of the documents slowed.

Kohler at the Kern County District
Attorney's office said she will review SB-39 requests more closely to
determine if any additional information can be released.

17 News wants to work with county officials to make the system more transparent.

17 News also wants to look into changing the ambiguity in the law that allows counties to interpret it differently.

Several states are attempting to pass legislation that would force the agencies to release the names and other information about child deaths. The system is allowed to hide their mistakes, much like a doctor buries his mistakes.

Man arrested in murder of Taft child

Published: Jun 23, 2011 at 5:58 PM PST

TAFT, Calif. — The death of a little boy in Taft has been ruled a homicide, and 25-year-old Dustin Wedel has been arrested in the case.

James Fanshier, 3, died on Jan. 23, and Thursday the Kern County coroner's office ruled the child died from multiple blunt force injuries.

Wedel is being held on charges of murder, torture and abuse. When he was killed, James was living with his father's ex-girlfriend, Stormie Roberts.

Glenda Porter told Eyewitness News her daughter was happy to care for the child, and the family had taken James in as one of their own when his father put him in Stormie's care.

"When he came to us, we just opened our arms, home and heart to him, and gave him love," Porter said. "And he was happy."

Porter said her daughter had a relationship with James' father, Eavan Fanshier. The father had gotten sole custody of the child from the biological mother.

Glenda Porter said her daughter started caring for James a couple years ago. Stormie would work, and Eaven Fanshier would mostly stay home with his son. But, at some point, the couple broke up, and Fanshier left his son in Stormie's care.

"The father left, and left him with Stormie, because he knew that was a good place for him," Porter said. "She gave the baby her whole heart."

In late January of this year, Stormie moved into a small house in the 200 block of Van Buren in Taft, along with her new boyfriend Wedel and James.

"(James) was in the care of someone that we thought loved and cared for him," Porter said.

She said on Jan. 23, Stormie came home from work, and James said he was sick.

"He wasn't showing any sign of hurt anywhere," Porter said. "Just laying, and looking and watching."

Porter said James had thrown up, but she and Stormie thought the child had the flu. Porter said she didn't see any injuries.

Porter left the house, but about an hour later her daughter called.

"She woke up and got (James), and he was already dying, he died in her arms," Porter said.

Sheriff's reports say when officers were called out, they were met by a woman who was holding the child. A deputy starting giving CPR, but the boy was unresponsive and pronounced dead at the scene.

Eyewitness News obtained search warrants in the case. Those documents show investigators looked for any evidence at the house, including "any weapons which could inflict blunt force or any trauma to the child. Any and all items
possibly used in the child's death, which might cause any injury."

The warrant also states that officers found "the child had obvious injuries on his body, bruising on the chest, ribs and arms."

Porter said her daughter and James' father are too upset to talk about the child's death. She said the couple got back together after the boy's funeral. Porter added that her heart goes out to the child's other relatives.

Sheriff's deputies say Wedel was arrested Thursday afternoon at his mother's home in Bakersfield without incident. He faces one charge of murder, one count of torture and one count of abuse of a minor resulting in death. Sheriff's spokesman Ray Pruitt also told Eyewitness News no additional arrests are expected in the case.

Porter said James' life was cut too short.

"James' birthday is coming up on the 30th of this month," she said.

Porter said her family wants answers. They were not blood relatives to James, but considered themselves his adoptive family.

"He was just like my own," she said. "We want justice."

http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/124465979.html

Friday, Oct 25 2013 01:01 PM



Trial begins in case of man accused of killing 3-year-old boy

BY JASON KOTOWSKI Californian staff writer jkotowski@bakersfield.com

By all accounts 3-year-old James Lee Fanshier was well-loved by Stormy Roberts, the woman who cared for him after James' biological parents took a lesser role in his life.

But prosecutors say Roberts' boyfriend, Dustin Wedel, didn't share that same love.

Wedel is accused of inflicting injuries on the toddler including broken ribs, a broken arm, injuries to his pancreas, bowels and genitals, and bruising over much of his body.

The boy, James Fanshier, died Jan. 23, 2011 as a result of multiple blunt force injuries, according to the coroner's office.

Wedel's trial on charges of murder, willful cruelty to a child and assault, and a custodian assaulting a child resulting in death began Friday. Wedel has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Wedel's attorney, Fred Gagliardini, said during opening arguments that investigators were unable to determine exactly when James suffered some of his injuries. The attorney said Wedel didn't stay with Roberts and the boy during about half the week of Sept. 17-23, when many of the injuries are believed to have occurred.

Gagliardini said the boy told Roberts his biological mother hurt his arm; another time he said his biological father, Evan Fanshier, was responsible for a deep cut on his penis.

Roberts and Evan Fanshier had dated for a time, but split up because Roberts didn't believe in corporal punishment, Gagliardini said. The final straw, he said, came when she saw Fanshier beating James with a belt.

Prosecutor Andrea Kohler said Wedel was the only person with James when his most severe injuries occurred. James suffered a transected duodenum -- the first part of his small intestine was split open -- between six to 12 hours before his death.

She said Wedel was the only person with James during that time. Wedel met Roberts, who had been working, outside the home on Jan. 23 and told her the boy was very sick. James didn't get out of bed that day. He died that evening.

Kohler said Wedel had told Roberts that he wanted James returned to his biological father. Roberts, she said, doted on the boy.

"Stormy Roberts lavished attention on him, not Wedel," Kohler said.

http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x558593993/Trial-begins-in-case-of-man-accused-of-killing-3-year-old-boy

Tuesday, Oct 29 2013 01:36 PM




Witness in murder trial testifies boy, 3, suffered injuries while with defendant

BY JASON KOTOWSKI

Johnale Waterman was making sandwiches and packing for a picnic with her kids and a few other children and adults spending the day at her house.

A short while passed where no one could find 3-year-old James Lee Fanshier. The boy eventually came into Waterman's room holding his face and crying. James' mother's boyfriend, Dustin Wedel, said the boy fell on rocks in the backyard.

Waterman testified in court Tuesday -- the third day of Wedel's murder trial in the 2011 death of James -- that there was bruising on James' face, and a cut on his ear. She examined him further and saw red handprints on his back.

James had no visible injuries when he first arrived at her home that day, Waterman said.

She took pictures of the injuries. When she looked at those pictures again in court she began crying.

Wedel, 27, was the live-in boyfriend of Stormy Roberts, the woman who raised James after his biological parents took lesser roles in his life. Roberts had dated James' biological father, Evan Fanshier, for a time. The couple split shortly before Wedel moved in.

Waterman testified as a witness for the prosecution, but she also expressed uneasiness with how Fanshier disciplined his son.

Under cross-examination by defense attorney Fred Gagliardini, Waterman said there were a couple of instances in which she saw Fanshier force his then-2-year-old son stand in the corner on the tips of his toes for as long as 15 minutes.
Waterman said she also saw Fanshier scream at the child as he spanked him on the buttocks. She said she thought Fanshier was too strict with James.

Gagliardini has said James accused others -- including his birth parents -- of hurting him on different occasions. But prosecutor Andrea Kohler said only Wedel had been with the child in the hours before his death when he suffered his most severe injuries. She has said Wedel was jealous of the attention Roberts gave James.

James died Jan. 23, 2011 as a result of multiple blunt force injuries, including broken ribs, a broken arm, injuries to his pancreas, bowels and genitals, and bruising over much of his body.

Gagliardini asked Waterman why she didn't call 911 or Child Protective Services if she considered Wedel such a threat. Why didn't she kicked him out of her home that day?

Waterman answered she called Roberts and told her about the injuries. Roberts left work and arrived at Waterman's home about 20 minutes later. Waterman said she didn't hear what was said between Roberts and Wedel.

Brock Wright, a cousin of James, later took the stand and said he'd sometimes see Wedel poke James in the ribs. The 11-year-old said he could tell the pokes hurt James because he'd cry out in pain.


Wright said he and James were friends. He cried testifying how he told Wedel to stop hurting James.

Wedel wasn't mean to other children, Wright said. Just James.

http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x196575696/Witness-in-murder-trial-testifies-boy-suffered-injuries-while-in-company-of-defendant

Wednesday, Oct 30 2013 08:24 PM

Father of slain boy, 3, says he thought son would be safe with ex-girlfriend

BY JASON KOTOWSKI Californian staff writer jkotowski@bakersfield.com

Eavan Fanshier had no issues leaving his young son in the care of Stormy Roberts after the two ended their relationship in 2010. Roberts wasn't the boy's biological mother, but she treated James Lee Fanshier as if he was her own child.

He thought James would be safe with her.

But James was dead within a year.

Fanshier's testimony Wednesday came during the fourth day of the trial for Dustin Wedel, who's charged with the murder of 3-year-old James. The child suffered broken ribs, a broken arm, injuries to his pancreas, bowels and genitals, and bruising over much of his body.

He died Jan. 23, 2011 as a result of multiple blunt force injuries. Prosecutor Andrea Kohler has said Wedel, who dated Roberts after Fanshier, was the only person with James in the hours during which the most severe injuries were inflicted.

Defense attorney Fred Gagliardini, however, said "science isn't that good at dating injuries," and noted there were several people around James in the days before his death.

Gagliardini asked Fanshier why he and Roberts broke up. Fanshier said he still doesn't know.

The attorney asked if it was because she caught him whipping James with a belt on his bare buttocks while the boy faced a wall. Fanshier denied ever doing that.

He also denied causing other injuries to James, including a cut on the boy's penis that Roberts noticed a couple days before his death. The boy told Roberts that Fanshier cut him.

Fanshier said James had stayed at his house the weekend before, and there were no injuries to the boy's genitals when he bathed him. He denied hurting him.

Kohler asked if he would cut his own son.

"No. Actually, no child," Fanshier answered.

James passed into the custody of several people during his short life. Fanshier and Sommer Ruiz were his biological parents, but they broke up three months after his birth.

The boy spent the next seven months with Ruiz's aunt in Idaho. Then Ruiz brought him back to California.

He lived with her until Fanshier left a group home at the age of 18 and took full custody. Fanshier then dated Roberts, and the boy lived with her in Taft until his death.

Kern County sheriff's Sgt. Avery Simpson investigated James' death. He quickly honed in on Wedel, and admitted Wednesday to calling Wedel a "piece of (expletive deleted)" in the presence of Roberts' relatives, and also to describing the boy's injuries before the autopsy report had been released.

Gagliardini took issue with that, noting that the 27-year-old Wedel wasn't arrested until six months after James' death. He told Simpson there were other people around James, and questioned why the sergeant would reveal autopsy details before conducting all of his interviews with potential witnesses.

Gagliardini asked Simpson if he agreed he let his emotions get carried away. Simpson said he didn't agree.

"You wouldn't? Awesome!" Gagliardini said sarcastically.

Judge Kenneth C. Twisselman II told Gagliardini to stick to asking questions, and Gagliardini ended his cross-examination.

The trial continues Thursday.

http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x2127192644/Father-of-slain-boy-3-says-he-thought-son-would-be-safe-with-ex-girlfriend

Dustin Wedel convicted of murder of Taft 3-year-old

Posted: 11/04/2013

Last Updated: 1 hour ago

• Anne Stegen 
  
  

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - A man accused of first-degree murder relating to the death of his girlfriend's 3-year-old was convicted Monday.

Dustin Wedel was convicted of first-degree murder and willful cruelty to a child after the death of 3-year-old James Fanshier in January of 2011.

The boy was found not breathing at a south Bakersfield home January 23.

The coroner said James died from multiple blunt force injuries.

James was in the care of Wedel and his biological father's ex-girlfriend.

http://www.turnto23.com/news/local-news/dustin-wedel-convicted-of-murder-of-3-year-old-110413

I hope California has the death penalty.  If not, he needs to rot in prison and be beaten and raped daily by his fellow criminals.  What a POS.

Friday, Dec 06 2013 01:47 PM



Convicted killer of 3-year-old boy sentenced to 31 years to life



By Felix Adamo/The Californian

Dustin Wedel breaks down in court as the jury found him guilty Nov. 4 in the murder of 3-year-old James Lee Fanshier. Defense attorney Fred Gagliardini is at left.

BY JASON KOTOWSKI Californian staff writer jkotowski@bakersfield.com

Convicted child killer Dustin Wedel will likely spend the rest of his life in prison for inflicting continuous abuse that ultimately led to what prosecutors said was an "excruciating" death for 3-year-old James Lee Fanshier.

An emotional Wedel accepted a tissue from the bailiff of Department 9 in Kern County Superior Court Friday as Judge Kenneth C. Twisselman II imposed a sentence of 31 years to life in prison. Wedel made no comment, and nodded at family members as he was escorted from the courtroom following sentencing.

Wedel's mother, Donna Castilleja, said afterward her son had nothing to do with James' death. She said he loved James, and the real killer was still free.

Castilleja said jurors had their minds made up before the trial ended. She said she caught several jurors reading about the case in TheCalifornian.

She said her son would appeal his conviction. With the sentence he's serving, she said it's almost like she's lost him forever.

"To me it's like he died, but is still living," Castilleja said.

Wedel was convicted of inflicting injuries upon James from November 2010 up to the boy's death on Jan. 23, 2011. James suffered broken ribs, a broken arm, injuries to his pancreas, bowels and genitals, and bruising over much of his body.

Wedel came into contact with James through Stormy Roberts -- the woman who'd been caring for James since ending a relationship with the boy's biological father.

Prosecutor Andrea Kohler said Wedel was jealous of the attention Roberts showered on James, and didn't want the child in his life.

Kohler said Wedel showed no concern when detectives told him James had died. But he got angry, she said, because he had two active misdemeanor warrants and knew he faced arrest.

She said Wedel was the only person with James when the boy's most severe injuries occurred, including a torn section of small intestine probably caused by a kick or a punch.

"I believe when you do something like that to a small child you deserve to go to prison for the rest of your life," Kohler said.

http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x1210654097/Convicted-killer-of-3-year-old-boy-sentenced-to-31-years-to-life