IRDESSA VAZQUEZ - 5 Months (2011) - Indianapolis IN

Irdessa Vazquez was born with traces of marijuana and opiates coursing through her veins.

Six months later, her life was over -- the victim of repeated physical abuse.

Irdessa's story in many ways exemplifies the lingering problems within the state's child welfare program.

Because of privacy issues, the state Department of Child Services would not comment on Irdessa's case except to acknowledge it was involved. But records obtained by The Indianapolis Star provide a clear picture of the agency's involvement in her short life.

Irdessa was born Nov. 10, 2010. She was the second of Amber Vazquez's children to be born with drugs in her system because of their mother's drug use while pregnant, according to DCS records.

Those records also reveal there were at least four prior incidents in which DCS found Vazquez had neglected her older children. She was cited for neglect a fifth time after the routine hospital test revealed the drugs in newborn Irdessa's system.

Assessments conducted by DCS at the time found Amber Vazquez was at a "very high" risk to neglect her children and revealed the young mother suffered from chronic depression, severely low self-esteem and a serious substance abuse problem. One report also noted a lack of parenting skills, domestic discord, a limited social support system and difficulty in decision making.

Irdessa was briefly placed with a relative but was returned to her mother when Irdessa was a month old. Records indicate the case was closed Dec. 16, 2010 -- the troubled young mother's long-standing problems apparently resolved in a matter of weeks.

But that was hardly the end of the family's involvement with DCS.

Within a week of closing the case, DCS received two more reports about Vazquez and her children. Both alleged drug use and domestic violence involving Vazquez and Irdessa's father, Guillermo Ascencion. But DCS employees who answer the agency's statewide hotline determined that neither report merited investigation.

Perhaps more startling, records obtained by The Star show that one of those reports came from a DCS case manager who had worked with the family.

She told the hotline worker that several recent police runs to the family's home "show a pattern" of dangerous activity. The hotline worker's report also included an ominous warning. The caseworker, whose name is redacted in the report obtained by The Star, told the hotline worker that she "does not want it to be said that (she) did not try to protect the children."

In a case's contact log, the DCS worker who made the report wrote on Dec. 22, 2010: "It should be noted that efforts were made to ensure the safety (of the children) via proper channels & the report was screened out."

The children remained with Vazquez and Ascencion. The reports kept coming.

In January 2011, agency workers received another complaint and opened a new investigation. The report again alleged drug use and domestic violence.

Vazquez's 7-year-old son told a DCS investigator he witnessed Ascencion hitting his mother on multiple occasions, including once when she was holding Irdessa.

The following month, DCS cited Vazquez and Ascencion for neglect in that case. It would be at least the sixth time the agency had determined Vazquez was not adequately caring for her children.

Still, the case report approved by a supervisor Feb. 24 noted: "Children will remain in the home."

One day before the DCS supervisor signed off on the plan to leave Irdessa and Vazquez's older son with their mother and Ascencion, the agency received yet another report about a police run to the family's home for a domestic incident. No action was taken.

Two weeks later, on March 8, there was yet another report. This time, Ascencion and Vazquez had gotten into a fight at a bar, the DCS report said, and "the mother had bruises all over her body."

Still, DCS decided not to open a new investigation.

"Although concerning, the most recent domestic violence incident did not happen in the presence of the children," the intake report said, "and it is unknown when the last time (kids witnessed the couple fighting) was."

The case prompted by the domestic violence incident in January, however, remained open, and Vazquez and Ascencion continued, intermittently, to participate in counseling and other services ordered by DCS.

Then on June 4, there was one final report.

It was a call from Indianapolis police.

A child whose "condition does not look good" was being transported to Riley Hospital for Children.

Just the day before, one of the therapists DCS assigned to provide services to the family -- the help designed to keep the family intact and the children safe -- had recommended closing the agency's case with Vazquez.

"Although there continues to be room for improvement," the therapist wrote in a June 3 email to DCS officials, "Ms. Vazquez does appear to present with skills necessary to eliminate the need for further intervention from DCS."

Two days later, Irdessa was dead. The coroner ruled the death a homicide, and Irdessa's parents were charged with neglect resulting in death, an A felony that carries a sentence of up to 50 years.

An autopsy found evidence of new and old head injuries and a recent fracture on Irdessa's right arm -- all unexplained.

Marion County Chief Deputy Coroner Alfie Ballew reported the child's injuries were "consistent with repeated and chronic child abuse."

Irdessa was just 6 months old.

http://www.indystar.com/article/20120122/LOCAL/201220379/Six-months-suffering-long-history-DCS

What a horrible tragedy. While Irdessa's parents are ultimately responsible for her death, CPS should have done something. How could they say complaints weren't valid when another child in the home complained of abuse and even a DCF worker. Indiana's DCF needs to be investigated and they need to change their guidelines. Innocent babies are going to continue to be murdered if they don't do their jobs.

Some of these DCF workers need to spend a stint in prison.

Indianapolis woman arrested in baby daughter's death
Updated: Jul 13, 2011 2:58 PM CDT

INDIANAPOLIS - A 24-year-old Indianapolis woman faces neglect charges in connection with the death of her five-month-old daughter.

Amber Vazquez was arrested following an investigation into her daughter Irdessa Vazquez's death on June 5th.

On June 4th, officers were called to a home in the 5300 block of Renton to investigate a case involving an injured child. The baby was take to Riley Hospital in critical condition and died the next day. Investigators believe the baby's injuries were a result of neglect.

An autopsy was conducted by the Marion County Coroner's Office and the death was ruled a homicide.

The baby's father, Guillermo Ascencion, also faces charges for neglect of a dependent. He is currently in custody of U.S. Immigration in Chicago and is in the process of being returned to Indianapolis to face charges. A warrant was issued for his arrest.

No mug shot is currently available of Amber Vazquez or Guillermo Ascension.

http://www.wthr.com/story/15076642/indianapolis-woman-arrested-in-baby-daughters-death?clienttype=printable

Man, 24, to face charge in death of infant daughter

Jul. 22, 2011

A father who had been in the custody of federal immigration authorities has returned to Indianapolis to face a charge in the death of his 5-month-old daughter.

Guillermo Ascencion-Flores, 24, was held without bond Thursday in the Marion County Jail on a charge of child neglect in the death of Irdessa Vazquez and in connection with federal immigration offenses, records show.

He is to appear in Marion Superior Court for a pretrial hearing Sept. 15. ...

http://www.indystar.com/article/20110722/LOCAL18/107220373/Man-24-face-charge-death-infant-daughter