SETH AZEMI - 14 Months (2011) Accused: Joshua Guzman - Staten Island/ NYC NY

A 14-month-old little boy is dead and now his father is looking for answers as to what led to his death.
What happened to Seth Azemi?
Thursday night, the NYPD, ACS, and others are trying to figure that out.
An autopsy is planned to once and for all determine the cause of death.
But according to documents obtained by Eyewitness News, the autopsy may be just a formality.
What is clear is that the doctor who treated him believes 14-month-old
Seth Azemi's injuries were not an accident, but child abuse.
Jimmy Azemi spoke to Eyewitness News just a few hours after his son was taken off life support.
"Those injuries weren't there from a fall," Azemi said, "I just want
answers, I want to know what happened to my son. That's what I want to
know."
Doctors at Brooklyn's Maimonides Hospital couldn't save the 14-month-old.
According to family court documents obtained by Eyewitness News, the
little boy's "brain was swelled" he had "limited brain activity" and a
skull fracture.
According to family court documents, a
detective with the NYPD told a Children's Services Worker that a doctor
at Maimonides Hospital had determined that Seth's injuries were quote:
"definitely as a result of child abuse and were caused by non-accidental
means."
"Somebody had to do that and somebody that was allowed near the child had to notice that and ignore that," Azemi said.
Seth's aunt says family members had noticed signs of abuse as early as last summer.
They gave Eyewitness News photographs that they say is proof of abuse.
They say the photographs show bruising around the 14-month-old's eyes.
"It's unfortunate my nephew was robbed of his entire life, due to something that could have been prevented," his aunt said.
Seth lived in the basement of a building on Butler Terrace in Staten Island with his mom and her boyfriend.
Last Friday, something happened in the home that led to the little boy's death.
Now, almost a week later the police investigation continues.
"I want to know how can a 14-month-old end up dead from brain, brain dead, how can that happen, how?" Azemi said.
That is what police are trying to determine.
Meanwhile, Seth Azemi's two siblings are in ACS custody.
Eyewitness News has made repeated attempts to locate Seth Azemi's
mother and boyfriend through family, but so far there is no response
back.
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local/new_york&id=8391312

Teen charged with death of child, one, after he 'repeatedly banged his head against the wall'

A teenager has been arrested and charged in connection with the beating death of the one-year-old child of his girlfriend.
Joshua Guzman, 18, from Staten Island, was charged with assault and child endangerment after allegedly hitting the child's head twice against the wall.
Seth Azemi, aged 14 months, was declared brain dead after spending a week on life support when he was admitted to hospital with two skull fractures.

Dead: Baby Seth Azemi was declared brain dead after suffering from two fractures to the skull
His mother, 25-year-old Stephanie Soto, left Seth in the care of her younger boyfriend.
Court papers say that Guzman was walking with the baby in his arms when he swung his body around, hitting the child's head against a bedroom wall.

Then, when he shut the door as he was leaving the room, he struck the boy's head in the process.
Police allege that he repeatedly banged the child's head against the wall.

A medical examiner is still working to determine the cause of death but depending on the results the charges may be upgraded to murder.
According to the New York Daily News, Soto was a no-show at a family court hearing on Friday over the custody of her two other children.

Scene: Police say Guzman repeatedly banged 14-month-old Seth's head against the wall at their Staten Island home
Seth's father Agim (Jimmy) Azemi said at the hearing: 'I had to see my son take his last breath and then spend all day in this courthouse - and they're not even here.
'I'm sick of telling the same story again. My son died.'

Soto's two other children by Mr Azemi, a five-year-old boy and a three-year-old girl, were removed from her custody by the city Administration for Children's Services after Seth's death.

He said he wanted the mother of his children arrested in connection with Seth's death but police have not yet brought any charges against her.
He told the Daily News: 'She knew what was happening. Her mother who lived with her warned about the boyfriend.

'He weighed 20 pounds when he was brought to the hospital. That's not normal. When I was involved, he was healthy - 35 to 40 pounds.'He also said ACS officials had been monitoring the children for the past ten months and failed in August to notice bruises on the child's face.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2049497/Joshua-Guzman-charged-beating-1-year-old-Seth-Azemi-death.html#ixzz1ash1KMF0

Updated: Saturday, October 15, 2011, 12:17 AM

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- An 18-year-old who lived with his girlfriend and her child in New Brighton is facing assault charges in connection with the death of the 14-month-old.

The toddler, Seth Azemi, died Wednesday in Brooklyn’s Maimonides Medical Center, five days after he was found unconscious and unresponsive, according to the office of District Attorney Daniel Donovan.

Police have charged Joshua Guzman, 18, with assault and acting in a manner injurious to a child, based on statements he made to the police and two skull fractures discovered by the medical examiner, said Peter Spencer, Donovan’s spokesman.

However, the exact cause of death is pending, and further tissue, toxicology and “general testing” will take between six and eight weeks, a spokeswoman for the city medical examiner’s office said.

The toddler lived with his mother, Stephanie Soto, 25 — who has two other children — and Guzman, her boyfriend, in a basement apartment on Butler Terrace.

“Those injuries weren’t there from a fall,” Jimmy Azemi, Seth’s father, told Channel 7 News just hours after the toddler was removed from life support. “I just want answers, I want to know what happened to my son. That’s what I want to know.”

On Oct. 7, the baby was found unconscious and unresponsive about 8:30 a.m., police said.
Guzman admitted in court documents that Seth was in his “exclusive care” that morning.
According to court documents, upon entering the bedroom that morning, Guzman picked up the child, whose head and torso struck the bedroom wall, and then the wooden door, as Guzman left the room with Seth in his arms, according to court documents.

Originally taken to a borough hospital, the baby was transferred to Maimonides. Despite doctors’ efforts, he died almost a week later, after being taken off life support.

Police did not originally suspect criminality.

The district attorney’s office said Guzman is expected to be arraigned on charges of assault and endangering the welfare of a minor, but those charges could be upgraded pending results of the medical examiner’s autopsy.

After Seth’s death, Ms. Soto’s two other children by Azemi, a 5-year-old boy and a 3-year-old girl, were removed from her custody by the city Administration for Children’s Services.

http://www.silive.com/northshore/index.ssf/2011/10/live-in_beau_charged_in_staten.html

Poster's Note: This article had a few more details.

Staten Island teen charged with murder in death of toddler

By Frank Donnelly, Staten Island Advance
Published: Thursday, March 01, 2012, 7:22 AM
Updated: Thursday, March 01, 2012, 1:17 PM

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A New Brighton teen has been charged with murder and manslaughter in the death of his ex-girlfriend’s toddler.

Joshua Guzman, 18, will be arraigned today in state Supreme Court, St. George, on the upgraded charges stemming from the death of 14-month-old Seth Azemi.

Police say Guzman was baby-sitting the boy on Oct. 7 when he swung him around and hit the child’s head against a bedroom wall.

Authorities originally charged Guzman with second-degree assault and acting in a manner injurious to a child after the toddler was found unconscious and unresponsive in a basement apartment on Butler Terrace at 8:30 a.m., according to court filings.

Those charges were upgraded yesterday to second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter — two weeks after the city medical examiner ruled the death a homicide.

Staten Island teen charged with murder in death of toddler spits at photographer Staten Island teen charged with murder in death of toddler spits at photographer Joshua Guzman, 18, spit on a photographer outside state Supreme Court, St. George, the day he faced upgraded charges stemming from the death of 14-month-old Seth Azemi. Watch video

Little Seth died from a “shortage of oxygen to the brain due to whiplash shaking and blunt-force impact,” said Ellen Borakove, a spokeswoman for the medical examiner’s office.

According to court documents, Guzman admitted he was in “exclusive care” of Seth when the incident occurred.

The toddler was first taken to a borough hospital but was then transported to Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn. He died five days later, after being taken off life support.

Initially, the medical examiner’s office found two fractures of the toddler’s head, which Guzman said occurred when the boy’s head and torso hit a bedroom wall, then a wooden door after he picked him up and ran out of the room when he found the child unconscious, said court papers.

Seth lived with his mother, Stephanie Soto, 25, and Guzman, her then-boyfriend, in New Brighton.

The victim’s father, Jimmy Azemi of Brooklyn, had two other children with Ms. Soto — a 5-year-old boy and a 3-year-old girl, both of whom have been placed in the custody of their maternal grandfather, Azemi told the Advance.

http://www.silive.com/northshore/index.ssf/2012/03/staten_island_teen_charged_wit.html

Another POS mother. Another POS boyfriend. Another precious baby, dead.

Lawsuit: City and Administration for Children's Services responsible for Staten Island tot's death


Staten Island teen charged with murder in death of toddler spits at photographer

Joshua Guzman, 18, spit on a photographer outside state Supreme Court, St. George, the day
he faced upgraded charges stemming from the death of 14-month-old Seth Azemi.

Watch video

By Frank Donnelly/Staten Island Advance

on January 18, 2013 at 8:12 PM, updated January 18, 2013 at 8:13 PM


Seth Azemi was declared brain dead after suffering 2 fractures to his skull.


STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The city and the agency tasked with protecting children from abuse and neglect were responsible for his toddler's death, allegedly at another man's hands 15 months ago in New Brighton, claims a grieving father.

Agim Azemi, of Brooklyn, has sued the city and the Administration for Children's Services over the death of his 14-month-old son, Seth Azemi. The tot was found gravely injured, with head fractures, on Oct. 7, 2011, while in the care of his mother's then-boyfriend, Joshua Guzman, in the apartment where they resided, allege court papers.

The toddler succumbed to his injuries five days later, said authorities. Guzman was subsequently charged with murder. He has denied the allegations and awaits trial in state Supreme Court, St. George.

The civil suit, also filed in state Supreme Court, St. George, alleges the city and Children's Services failed to "properly assess and evaluate" the little boy's living conditions, and that Guzman, who was minding him, was unsuitable to care for him.

The action seeks unspecified monetary damages. In a brief telephone conversation, Azemi's lawyer, Efrom Gross, said
Children's Services had been "watching over" the family, but he did not elaborate on how or why the agency became involved.

According to its website, the agency investigates reported cases of suspected child abuse or neglect and provides "neighborhood-based services to help ensure children grow up in safe, permanent homes with strong families."
Seth lived with his mother, Stephanie Soto, then 25, his siblings, and Guzman, according to Advance reports and court papers.

The toddler was found unconscious and unresponsive in a basement apartment on Butler Terrace at 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 7, 2011, state court filings in the criminal case.

Police say Guzman was baby-sitting Seth when he swung around and hit the child's head against a bedroom wall.
Guzman, then 18, admitted he was in "exclusive care" of Seth when the incident occurred, court documents said.

The toddler suffered head fractures and died on Oct. 12, 2011, after being taken off life support, said authorities.

Guzman was arrested the next day and charged with second-degree assault and child endangerment.

Those charges were later upgraded to include murder and manslaughter after the city medical examiner ruled Seth's death a homicide.

The little boy died from a "shortage of oxygen to the brain due to whiplash shaking and blunt-force impact," said Ellen Borakove, a spokeswoman for the medical examiner's office.

Initially, the medical examiner's office found two fractures of the toddler's head.

Guzman said they occurred when the boy's head and torso hit a bedroom wall, then a wooden door, after he picked him up and ran out of the room when he found the child unconscious, said court papers filed in the criminal case.

A Children's Services spokesman on Friday referred all inquiries to the city Law Department.

A Law Department spokeswoman said the civil filing had not been received. She added the city will consult with Children's Services once those documents are in hand.

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2013/01/lawsuit_city_and_chidrens_serv.html

A mother's grief resonates in courtroom as Staten Island tot's killer is sentenced to 14 years

November 13, 2013 at 6:35 PM

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A grieving mother's impassioned words resonated in a St. George courtroom Wednesday, moments before her toddler's killer was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

"No mother should have to bury her baby, but I did at the hands of Joshua Guzman," Stephanie Soto said in a statement read by a prosecutor at Guzman's sentencing. "The tragedy that has come upon me and my family can never be undone. I pray to God every day that what was done to my Seth never happens again to any mother."

Guzman, 20, of New Brighton, stood silently as a Spanish interpreter translated Ms. Soto's statement to him.

Ms. Soto was not in the courtroom.

Last month, Guzman pleaded guilty in state Supreme Court, St. George, to first-degree manslaughter stemming from the Oct. 12, 2011, death of Seth Azemi. The victim was 13 months old.

Police say Guzman was baby-sitting the toddler on Oct. 7, 2011, when he swung around and hit the child's head against a bedroom wall in a basement apartment on Butler Terrace. The little boy suffered head fractures and succumbed to his injuries five days later, said authorities.

Guzman, then 18, admitted he was in "exclusive care" of Seth when the incident occurred, court documents said.

Seth lived with Ms. Soto, then 25, and Guzman, her then-boyfriend, in New Brighton.

Guzman was charged with second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and other crimes after the city medical examiner ruled Seth's death a homicide.

The murder charge accused Guzman of displaying a depraved indifference to human life by recklessly engaging in conduct which created a grave risk of serious injury and death by shaking the victim and hitting his head against a bedroom wall and door.

After the plea agreement was reached, a law enforcement source said prosecutors may have had trouble proving the murder charge because Guzman maintained he didn't mean to hurt the child and there were no eyewitnesses.

In her statement, Ms. Soto said she'll never again experience the brightness and happiness her little son brought to her world.

"No one knows the anguish I've dealt with because it took two years for Guzman to admit what happened that morning," she said. "I wish he would have said something sooner. I pray to God that someday I can forgive him for this nightmare."

Ms. Soto said she was relieved the case didn't go to trial and said justice had been served for her son.

Guzman shook his head when asked if he wished to make a statement before Justice Stephen J. Rooney imposed sentence.

Rooney called the toddler's death "tragic" and "senseless."

The judge said the plea deal and sentence were appropriate.

Defense lawyer Mario F. Gallucci called the disposition "fair" and said his client has taken responsibility for his actions.

District Attorney Donovan said Guzman's negotiated 14-year prison sentence equates to more than a year for each month of the victim's life. The defendant is also subject to five years' post-release supervision.

"This was a tough, emotional case to prosecute and the outcome was reached with the full consultation of the victim's family," Donovan said in a statement.

At the end of the proceeding, Guzman, who was garbed in an off-white sweater and dark trousers, winked at his mother in the audience when court officers escorted him to a holding cell.

Seth's father, Jimmy Azemi of Brooklyn, who attended the hearing, sat silently in the near-empty gallery.

Asked afterward for his reaction, Azemi said, "He should've got more time."

Assistant District Attorneys Raja Rajeswari and Ann Thompson prosecuted the case.

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2013/11/staten_island_tots_killer_sent.html