SOPHIA ACOSTA - 3 yo (2011) - Exeter (E of Visalia; SE of Fresno) CA

Thank God the mother didn't get custody or visitation (I hope). That POS mother allowed that scumbag to abuse and beat her baby. She deserves to have no children. After reading through the articles, there was plenty of evidence that abuse was ongoing and the mother was warned and knew about it. She belongs in jail with the baby murder. This makes my blood boil!

babyjustice wrote:Thank God the mother didn't get custody or visitation (I hope). That POS mother allowed that scumbag to abuse and beat her baby. She deserves to have no children. After reading through the articles, there was plenty of evidence that abuse was ongoing and the mother was warned and knew about it. She belongs in jail with the baby murder. This makes my blood boil!

Totally agree Babyj.

It is another injustice that the dad had to fight for so long. The child suffers for the court's ineptitude.

Why isn't this POS mother in prison?

A South Valley doctor has revealed disturbing
details about the Sophia Acosta case during his time on the witness
stand on Thursday.

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The three-year-old Acosta died in May 2010 after investigators say she
was sexually abused and beaten by her mother's boyfriend.
Action News had the only camera in the courtroom for a hearing that included some explicit details about the abuse.
Some of the testimony was extremely graphic.
The only person who took the stand was a doctor who specializes in child abuse cases.
He testified that on the day Sophia was taken to Children's Hospital
she was already brain dead, had multiple severe injuries, and that she
tested positive for marijuana.
Chris Cheary showed no emotion in
court Thursday as Dr. Philip Hyden described in graphic detail the
extent of Sophia Acosta's injuries.
"This child had several
bruises noted on the scalp... she had several external signs of trauma
on her back and her buttocks... abdominal injuries, a contusion to the
diaphragm," Hyden testified.
Dr. Hyden examined Sophia in May
2011, after paramedics responded to the Exeter apartment where she lived
with her mom, baby sister and Cheary.
Investigators say Cheary sexually assaulted the girl, and beat her to the point of unconsciousness.
Dr. Hyden backs up those allegations, but, says on the night he
examined Sophia her mother, Erika Smith, told a different story.
"Child fell down stairs 2 days ago, and fell onto toy shopping cart
today. Neither of those would have anything to do with these injuries,"
Hyden said.
Jaclyn Perez used to be Smith's friend, but now feels she should also be held responsible for Sophia's death.
"I feel that she needs to be arrested. I feel justice will not be served until her and Chris are both in jail," Perez said.
Perez was among a dozen of Sophia's supporters who filled the courtroom.
Sophia's uncle, Nick Williams, says listening to the testimony was unbearable.
"Oh, I mean, it's obviously horrible, to listen to such a mess. The guy's an animal," Williams said.
As for Cheary, his attorneys question whether some of the injuries may have been caused by CPR or constipation.
A few of his family members, including his parents, were in court, but left without saying a word.
Sophia's mother was not in court. The judge said if and when she testifies during this case she needs to get an attorney.
The case is due back in court on July 5.

http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/local&id=8610450

Even her friends know she belongs in prison.

Why would a mother allow a man to abuse her baby?

Why would a mother allow a man to rape her baby?

Why would a mother lie for the abuser, rapist and murderer of her baby?

Please, please DA arrest this POS and put her in a cage.

I believe this newspaper account is incorrect. She died in May of 2011, not 2010.

Fatally injured Exeter girl was sexually assaulted

Thursday, Apr. 05, 2012 | 01:29 PM

hree-year-old Sophia
Acosta of Exeter likely was beaten and sexually assaulted before she
died, a doctor who examined her at Children's Hospital Central
California said Thursday at a pretrial hearing in Visalia.Dr.
Philip Hyden, medical director of the hospital's child abuse center,
called Sophia's injuries "the worst case I've seen in my entire career."
The girl was brought to the hospital on May 7, 2011, and died four days later.
Christopher
Cheary, 21, who was living with the girl and her mother, Erika Smith,
is charged with first degree murder and could face the death penalty if
convicted.
The girl's mother has not been charged, but relatives
and supporters say they believe Smith allowed Cheary to hurt the child
and should be arrested for child endangerment.


Sophia Acosta

MORE PHOTOS

Tulare County Superior Court Judge Gary Paden said Wednesday
that he's arranged for a lawyer to represent Smith "if and when she
shows up in the matter." After the hearing, Assistant District Attorney
Shani Jenkins declined to say whether Smith is under investigation.

Hyden testified that Sophia -- unconscious and on life support -- had bruises
on her back and buttocks, a bloated stomach, ruptured retinas, blood
coming out of her mouth and rear end, and injuries to her rectum that
were visible under magnification.

"This is something I would consider highly suspicious for sexual assault," Hyden said.
The girl's mother told him "she could imagine" Cheary could have done that, Hyden testified.

The first-degree murder charge against Cheary includes special
circumstances of sodomy, lewd acts upon a child and torture. The
District Attorney's Office said it would wait until the end of the
preliminary hearing -- scheduled for the first week of July -- to decide
whether to seek the death penalty.

The girl's mother told
hospital workers that Sophia fell down a flight of stairs and fell off a
bed onto a toy shopping cart. But the injuries were too severe, Hyden
said. A CT scan and an autopsy revealed a bruise on her diaphragm,
abdominal injuries, a bruised head and blood on the brain, he said.
Acosta was declared brain dead on May 11 and her organs donated.
Cheary, arrested three weeks after Sophia's death, was shackled when bailiffs
brought him to court wearing a brown shirt and gray slacks.

Bill Mueting, one of Cheary's two lawyers from the Tulare County Public
Defender's Office, asked Hyden whether injuries to the girl's rectum
might have been caused by medical problems; Hyden said they were due to
trauma.

Outside the courtroom, Acosta's great-grandfather, Sam
Coronado of Livingston, was visibly shaken after hearing the doctor's
testimony about the girl's injuries.

"It was really rough," he said.

He said the girl's father, Obie Acosta, who lives in Visalia and is caring
for Sophia's younger sister, chose not to attend the hearing.

Jacyln Perez of Farmersville, who knew Sophia, Smith and Cheary, said Smith's
personality seemed to change when her boyfriend was around.
"Justice won't be served until both are arrested," Perez said.

http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/04/05/2789545/fatally-injured-exeter-child-sexually.html

Update regarding Sophia's case per her Auntie: "ATTENTION COURT UPDATE ON MY NIECE SOPHIA'S CASE : A trial date has finally set but sadly we will have to wait another year!! AUGUST 12th, 2014. This is NOT the news we wanted but that's the CA Justice system for US. Keep our family in your prayers as comtinue to greive and try to move forward."

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Blue-Soldiers-for-Sophia-Acosta/308996095792764