MICHAEL IBARRA - 6 yo (2010) - Pima (NE of Tucson) AZ

A man facing a murder charge in connection with death of his
6-year-old stepson had been investigated by Child Protective
Services on child-abuse allegations as far back as December, officials said.

CPS spokesman Steve Meissner said the state agency is conducting
an investigation with local authorities against Koffi A. Dogbevi,
23, who is accused of beating Michael Ibarra on Aug. 3.

Michael died Wednesday after being taken off life support at
University Medical Center. He had undergone surgery for brain and
injuries, including a fractured skull, court records show.

Dogbevi was arrested Tuesday and booked into the Pima County
jail on suspicion of child abuse. An additional murder charge is
expected following Michael's death, said Deputy Jason Ogan, a Pima
County Sheriff's Department spokesman.

Deputies first became involved with the incident Aug. 3 when
they went to the boy's home near South Swan and East Valencia roads.

They were initially told Michael had fallen down a flight of
stairs, and court records indicate the boy told paramedics, as they
took him to UMC, that he'd been getting spanked by Dogbevi before
falling down the stairs.

Investigators determined the boy's injuries, which included
bruises and head trauma, were not consistent with a fall, Ogan said.

Another child in the house was taken into CPS custody and placed
with a relative, according to a CPS preliminary report.

CPS officials told deputies they had first been in contact with
the family in December, court records show.

The CPS investigator had proposed a "sustained allegation of
child abuse" against Dogbevi, determining Michael had been struck
in the face by Dogbevi, court records show.

Dogbevi denied the abuse and was in the process of appealing the
agency's allegations, according to the preliminary report.

No criminal charges were filed in connection with that incident.

The mother of a 6-year-old boy who died last month after he was
removed from life support at a hospital was arrested Thursday on
child-abuse charges.


Monica Ibarra-Dogbevi, 29, was booked into the Pima County jail,
said Deputy Jason Ogan, a Pima County Sheriff's Department spokesman.
Authorities said her son, Michael Ibarra, was beaten Aug. 3, and
his stepfather, Koffi A. Dogbevi, 23, was booked into jail Aug. 10 on child-abuse charges.
The stepfather was charged the following day with first-degree murder in the death of the boy.
Ogan did not have specifics to what led to the mother's arrest.
"During the course of the investigation, detectives determined
there was probable cause to arrest her," he said.
Authorities responded Aug. 3 to a report of an unconscious child
in the 4700 block of East American Beauty Drive, near South Swan and East Valencia roads.
At one point, Michael regained consciousness, and he and his
stepfather told investigators he fell down a flight of stairs. The
boy's mother was not home at the time, Ogan said.
Investigators became suspicious about the story Michael and his
stepfather told after they found that Michael had bruises covering
his body and a head injury. The injuries were not consistent with a fall.
Michael underwent surgery for brain and injuries, including a skull fracture, at UMC.
Michael's stepfather had been investigated by Child Protective
Services on child-abuse allegations in December.

The mother of a child that authorities say was murdered by his
stepfather has pleaded guilty to two felony counts of Child Abuse.
The counts allege that Monica Yadira Ibarra-Dogbevi committed child
abuse by failing to protect six-year-old Michael Ibarra from abuse by
his stepfather, Koffi Dogbevi. The second count states that she
committed child abuse by "failing to seek medical attention for fracture
to the lumbar spine."
Koffi Dogbevi was arrested August 10th, the day before Michael Ibarra
was taken off life support at a local hospital. He pleaded not guilty
to first degree murder charges.
Case files released last year reveal a pattern of abuse.
The first
call to Tucson police occurred in December of 2009. The police report
says, "The teacher says Michael Ibarra 'came to school with a black
eye.'"
According to the police report, the teacher asked Michael about it,
and the child responded "I fell down some stairs." The teacher asked a
second time, the child responded, "My mommy told me not to tell anyone,
but my daddy hit me."
Tucson Police were called; an officer asked Michael "What happened
with his eye." Michael said," I was hit," it says in the report.
The officer contacted his Sergeant, a crime scene unit responded. A
report was made to Child Protective Services, and the Dependent Child
Unit who "Advised that he would not be sending a detective to the
scene."
Assistant Chief Kathy Robinson tells News 4 based on information
gathered it didn't fit the criteria to pull the child from the home.
"We did not feel it warranted any action on that day based on the history, based on information we obtained."
According
to the police report, the police officer spoke with Michael's mother
and asked how the child had gotten the bruise? She responded that they
were moving and he was walking around some of the boxes slipped and fell
down the stairs.
The report says the mother told police Michael "was prone to telling stories."
The stepfather was then questioned, "Koffi responded, he slipped on the stairs going up their old apartment last night."
Assistant Chief Robinson says, "So is there something we could've
done to prevent this tragedy, no, I don't think there is, and that
responsibility lies with the individual who committed this crime."
http://www.kvoa.com/news/mother-of-murdered-6-year-old-pleads-guilty-to-child-abuse/

TUCSON, Ariz. - A Tucson woman accused of child abuse for her role in her son's death has been sentenced to two years in prison.

Pima County prosecutors say 29-year-old Monica Ibarra also was sentenced Wednesday to a consecutive sentence of 15 years' probation.

She pleaded guilty in April to two counts of child abuse and agreed to testify against her ex-husband in the case. He has since pleaded guilty and will be sentenced Monday.

The Arizona Daily Star says paramedics arrived at the couple's home to treat a 6-year-old boy with a head injury on Aug. 3, 2010.
The boy died eight days later and autopsy results revealed further injuries.
Ibarra admitted she neither protected her son from her ex-husband nor sought medical care for the boy after he'd been beaten.

http://ktar.com/6/1496177/Tucson-mom-sentenced-for-her-role-in-sons-death

Two years is not nearly enough. This poor baby suffered and she was in a position to stop it.

Another POS mother. Another POS man. Another poor defenseless victim.

A Tucson man has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for causing the death of his ex-wife's 6-year-old son.

Pima County prosecutors say 25-year-old Koffi Dogbevi admitted he was spanking Michael Ibarra for not cleaning his room when the boy fell down some stairs, suffering a massive head injury that proved fatal.

The Arizona Daily Star says paramedics went to Dogbevi's home on Aug. 3, 2010, after receiving a call about an unconscious child. Tests showed the boy suffered epidural and subdural hematomas because of a skull fracture.

Dogbevi was indicted on first-degree murder and child abuse charges. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.

The boy's mother also indicted on child abuse charges and sentenced to two years in prison and 15 years' probation last week.

http://www.kpho.com/story/16688237/man-sentenced-in-death-of-ex-wifes-son