HAILEY ROCHA - 14 Months (2010) - Montrose (SE of Grand Junction) CO

Frustration boils over in baby-death case

MONTROSE ” Calls of “baby killer!” rang out in District Court Tuesday, when murder suspect Daniel Ryan’s case was again continued.

Ryan is charged with first-degree murder and fatal child abuse in the Sept. 11, 2010 death of Hailey Rocha, age 14 months. He is accused of inflicting fatal blunt-force trauma on the toddler, whom he was babysitting.

The baby’s family members and friends lined two benches in court Tuesday, offering comfort to Hailey’s grief-stricken mother, Pamela Barnes.

But the hearing was brief. Public defender Harvey Palefsky asked for a continuance to 9 a.m. “the 28th” so his office could conduct further investigation. He meant March 28, Palefsky clarified, prompting gasps and groans from Hailey’s supporters, who walked out of court visibly upset.

“Baby killer!” one of the women called out to Ryan as she left.

http://www.montrosepress.com/articles/2011/02/23/news/doc4d64a8031fa40639635324.txt

Despite protests from the victim’s family, Montrose prosecutors today
entered into a plea agreement which calls for a 20-year prison sentence
for a man accused of killing an infant girl.

Daniel Lee Ryan, 23, of Montrose, pleaded guilty Monday to an amended
charge of negligent child abuse resulting in death, while the office of
Montrose District Attorney Dan Hotsenpiller dismissed a charge of
first-degree murder, according to Montrose County Court records.

Trish Rocha, the grandmother of slain 14-month-old Hailey Rocha, was
among a chorus of protestors Monday morning holding signs in front of
the Montrose County Justice Center, criticizing the deal as weak. Rocha
also accused Hotsenpiller’s office of misleading the family during plea
talks in the case.

“It’s sad they’re willing to give a murderer 20 years,” Rocha said during a phone interview.

A phone message seeking comment from Hotsenpiller was not immediately returned.

Ryan was arrested by Montrose police in September after authorities
said Hailey Rocha suffered fatal injuries while the girl was left in his
care. Police said there was no evidence Ryan had sought medical
attention for the girl on Sept. 11, before he turned up with the injured
child at the mother’s workplace, Taco Bell, 2050 S. Townsend Ave.

Ryan will be sentenced June 13.
http://www.gjsentinel.com/breaking/articles/family-protests-deal-in-montrose-infant-slaying/

MONTROSE - "Seventy-seven!" calls out Pamela Barnes' nephew, as a horn
blares at him from Townsend Avenue just after 1 p.m. Sunday.

He's holding a pink-lettered sign, reading "Honk 4 Baby Hailey's Justice,"
and counting responses. He is part of a small group that dedicates its
Sundays to letting the world know what they think of the man who pleaded
guilty in the death of 14-month-old Hailey Rocha.

Daniel Ryan, 20, pleaded guilty in April to causing Hailey's Sept. 11, 2010 death.
He is to be sentenced Monday.

"We've been coming here every Sunday," said Hailey's mother, Pamela
Barnes. "I just want everyone to know. Everyone has a right to know what
happened, and what's happening."

Hailey died of blunt-force trauma, the coroner said, and police and prosecutors allege Ryan, then
Barnes' boyfriend, inflicted the injury when he babysat the toddler last year.

According to police, Ryan took a "pale and blue" Hailey to
Barnes' work last Sept. 11, where she could not be revived, despite
efforts of passersby and paramedics.

He was charged with
first-degree murder and felony-2 child abuse, but those charges were
dismissed when he entered a plea to negligent child abuse. The maximum
sentence is ordinarily 16 years, but Ryan's plea agreement calls for him
to be sentenced in the aggravated range, up to 20 years.

His family has said Ryan is "getting the whole shaft" and that they doubt his guilt.

For Barnes, though, there's no question. She said doesn't think 20 years
enough, and though she knows the judge is bound by the plea agreement,
she plans to tell the court what she thinks Monday, when she and her
family will continue their protest.

"It might not change anything, but maybe," she said.


http://www.montrosepress.com/articles/2011/06/12/breaking_news/doc4df51c64bbfb9825292012.txt

A Montrose man is sentenced today for the death of 16 month old Hailey Rocha but many feel the
punishment doesn't fit the crime.
The Rocha family and friends stood outside the
Montrose Courthouse in protest to a 20 year plea bargain that would
sentence Daniel Ryan to 20 years. They say they have one last chance to
persuade the judge to a stronger sentence.
“We have one last chance to plead our case,” says mother of Hailey Rocha, Pamela Barnes.
Daniel Ryan pleaded guilty to child abuse resulting in death last year. Today he was sentenced to 20
years behind bars with five years parole.
A sentence Barnes says isn't harsh enough.
"My daughter’s life was not worth 20 years,” Barnes says.
On September 11th, 2010, Daniel Ryan brought 2 year old Hailey Rocha to Taco Bell where her mom was working.
Ryan said little Hailey fell in the bathtub and
wasn't moving. 2 days later he admitted he struck Hailey Rocha more than
one time to get her to stop crying.
"When the coroner called me, he told me she died instantly. Her liver exploded because she was hit so hard,” says Barnes.
Hailey's Uncle Daniel Rocha says the family has been shut out of any input in the court.
"After the plea agreement's already been accepted, now they want to give us a chance to say something,” says Rocha.
Rocha says he's going to try and make the judge understand, 20 years is not enough.
"I’m just going to ask the judge if it was one of his
children would he feel the same. Could he put a 20 year price tag on
one of his child's life?" says Rocha.
Rocha says recent media attention has tried to paint the mother in a bad light.
"His family says he has gotten the shaft of the whole
deal and that he didn't do it. Maybe the injuries were from before,” explains Rocha.
Something that has made Barnes feel even worse.
"I’m sick of being blamed for what happened to my daughter. It hurts,” says Barnes.
11 News tried to speak with the family of Daniel Ryan after the sentencing. All members of the family declined to comment.
http://www.nbc11news.com/news/headlines/Update_Montrose_man_sentenced_for_death_of_little_girl_123789729.html?ref=729