It didn't take long for Tucson police to notice something was dreadfully wrong in little Za'Naya Flores' home. But by the time they were called to her house, Za'Naya had died of starvation.
While city police almost immediately found vivid signs of potential abuse and neglect in the home, we still don't know what Child Protective Services ever noticed. Case notes from the agency's home visits in October, July, June, May, April and March are so blacked out and censored there is no way to know what caseworker Donald Hauser observed or missed.
When police arrived at Za'Naya's west-side home on Jan. 12 they found a bedroom, including the bed, covered in cigarette butts. Holes in the walls were covered with duct tape. There was hardly any food in the kitchen. Some frozen meals. Some condiments. Za'Naya's emaciated body shocked the officers and medics on the scene. Bruises, scars and burn marks were evident. She was 21 months old, but to police and fire responders she looked about 1 year. Skin sagged off her body.
People are also reading…
Her brother, still alive and one of Za'Naya's four siblings, was underweight and covered in bruises. Doctors would later suggest he may have suffered brain damage from malnutrition. Here are excerpts from police reports about Za'Naya's death that describe the scene - details in the home that CPS either has censored or never noticed despite months of in-home visits:
• "When (Za'Naya's brother) was brought down, he had a large bruise on his forehead. He had bruising to both ears and his temporal area. (He) was very pale. His eyes were sunken and he appeared very thin. CPS notified me that when (he) went to the restroom, he had bruising to his genital area. He told CPS that his mom punched him."
• Officer "Gustafson said that he observed bruises on Za'Naya's ears, feet and chin. He said he saw old scars on her right knee and shin, lower back, upper buttocks and under her left thigh. He said it looked like there was a bite-mark scar on the left forearm."
• Tucson Fire Department Capt. Mark Maibauer "said it was obvious the child was very emaciated and didn't appear to look like a normal 1-year-old child."
• Paramedic Bryan Tobler "stated in his experience, the child's appearance was extremely sick and the worst case he's seen."
• "There were cigarette butts everywhere, even where they found the baby in the bed. There were cigarette burns all over the carpet in the bedroom and living room. There were holes in the walls throughout the house and they were covered with duct tape and paper and others covered with a sheet."
All of this was apparent to officers on the scene, but what about Hauser? The CPS worker had been managing the case for months and months with a number of home visits. Hauser didn't respond to a phone message. Here's what we can glean from the heavily blacked-out case file:
• July 29: "All of the other children are healthy. (redaction) Zanaya is now living with her siblings. (redaction) The children play good together."
• June 3: "All of the other children are healthy. (redaction) Zanaya is now living with her siblings. (redaction) The children play good together."
Both of those case notes were created on the same day: Aug. 17.
• May 17: "Zanaya is back in her mother's care at this time. (redaction) Zanaya is walking and more mobile, as a result of being more mobile, she has shot up in height and slimmed down. ... All the other children are healthy. Zanaya is now living with her siblings. (redaction) The children play good together."
• April 23: "Zanaya is back in her mother's care at this time. (redaction) All of the other children are healthy. (redaction) Zanaya is now living with her siblings. (redaction) The children play good together."
That's pretty much it. This is particularly troubling because Hauser had previously copied and pasted notes while Za' Naya was living with a foster family.
In July 2010, Hauser wrote this: "Zanayah continues to spit up, the dr. stated that is normal and not to worry about it. She now weighs 13 pounds and 14 oz."
He wrote the exact same thing almost every month through March 2011. The only exception was January when he didn't write a report. He didn't even bother to change the spelling of her name from the incorrect Zanayah.
Why is the weight important?
Za' Naya weighed 16 pounds 11 ounces on Sept. 17, 2010, court documents show. She weighed 14.6 pounds when she was rushed to the hospital.
Za' Naya's mother, Kiyana Higgins, 23; her aunt, Keshawna Higgins, 25; and her grandmother, Clara Huyghue, 53, have been charged with first-degree murder and child abuse.
Given what we know so far, maybe Child Protective Services should be charged with something as well.
Â
CPS reports
Here are the dates and wording of some of the CPS reports filed by caseworkers checking on the welfare of Za'Naya Flores:
Za'Naya in foster care
Date of visit: 7/20/10 Report filed: 8/10/10
Physical and dental health: Zanayah continues to spit up, the (doctor) stated that this is normal and not to worry about it. She now weighs 13 pounds and 14 oz.
Date of visit: 8/17/10 Report filed: 9/10/10
Physical and dental health: Zanayah continues to spit up, the (doctor) stated that this is normal and not to worry about it. She now weighs 13 pounds and 14 oz.
Date of visit: 9/30/10 Report filed: 10/8/10
Physical and dental health: Zanayah continues to spit up, the (doctor) stated that this is normal and not to worry about it. She now weighs 13 pounds and 14 oz. *
Date of visit: 10/26/10 Report filed: 11/10/10
Physical and dental health: Zanayah continues to spit up, the (doctor) stated that this is normal and not to worry about it. She now weighs 13 pounds and 14 oz.
Date of visit: 11/19/10 Report filed: 12/10/10
Physical and dental health: Zanayah continues to spit up, the (doctor) stated that this is normal and not to worry about it. She now weighs 13 pounds and 14 oz.
Date of visit: 12/31/10 Report filed: 1/10/11
Physical and dental health: Zanayah continues to spit up, the (doctor) stated that this is normal and not to worry about it. She now weighs 13 pounds and 14 oz.
Date of visit: 2/23/11 Report filed: 3/10/11
Physical and dental health: Zanayah continues to spit up, the (doctor) stated that this is normal and not to worry about it. She now weighs 13 pounds and 14 oz.
Date of visit: 3/28/11 Report filed: 4/12/11
Physical and dental health: Zanayah continues to spit up, the (doctor) stated that this is normal and not to worry about it. She now weighs 13 pounds and 14 oz.
Za'Naya in mother's care
Date of visit: 4/23/11 Report filed: 5/12/11
Physical and dental health: All of the other children are healthy.
Family Relationships: Zanayah is now living with her siblings.
Social interests and activities: The children play good together.
Date of visit: 5/17/11 Report filed: 7/1/11
Child safety: Zanaya is back in her mother's care at this time. Zanaya is walking** and more mobile, as a result of being more mobile, she has shot up in height and slimmed down.
Date of visit: 6/3/11 Report filed: 8/17/11
Physical and dental health: All of the other children are healthy.
Family Relationships: Zanayah is now living with her siblings.
Social interests and activities: The children play good together.
Date of visit: 7/29/11 Report filed: 8/17/11
Physical and dental health: All of the other children are healthy.
Family Relationships: Zanayah is now living with her siblings.
Social interests and activities: The children play good together.
* 9/17/10: Court documents state that Za'Naya weighed 16 pounds and 11 ounces.
** January 12, 2012: Kiyana Higgins (Za'Naya's mother) tells CPS that Za'Naya could not walk or talk.
Contact columnist Josh Brodesky at 573-4242 or jbrodesky@azstarnet.com
