ARIZONA VOICE FOR CRIME VICTIMS

IN HARM’S WAY

A REPORT ON POLICY CONFLICT THAT FAILS CHILDREN AND THE SYSTEM ESTABLISHED TO PROTECT THEM

Prepared For

The Honorable Richard Romley

Maricopa County Attorney

Shawn Cox, MSW

Principal Researcher

Steve Capobres

Research Editor

Steve Twist

Contributor

March 15, 2003

“Liana Sandoval was already dead on September 27, 2001, when a state Child Protective Services caseworker closed her file on the little girl, writing off allegations as “unsubstantiated” that her mother’s boyfriend was abusing her.

The night before, Juan Velazquez confessed to police that he tied the 20-month-old girl with heavy wire to an 18-pound chunk of concrete and sank her body in a filthy canal.

Liana had been beaten to death, her head swollen from the blows of a grown man’s fist.

A month earlier, her father’s family had called CPS to report Liana and her sister, Isabella, then 3, were missing clumps of hair and covered in bruises, marks they thought had been made by Velazquez.

CPS did not take the girls from their mother.”

From The Arizona Republic, The sad case of little Liana Sandoval, Karina Bland, January 12, 2003

DEDICATION

This Report is dedicated to the children who have died from abuse or neglect in the last five years in Arizona and to Karina Bland, Laurie Roberts (The Arizona Republic), Mary K. Reinhart (East Valley Tribune) and Jonathan Elias and the Investigators (ABC 15), courageous journalists who have championed their cause:

Ramon Fausto

Vanessa Fausto

Cassandra Parker

Steven Young

Layla Molina

Adrianna Salsbury

Ali Al-Hussainy

Miguel Andrade

Brandon Garcia

Nicholas Contreraz

Michael Costell

Joseph Bernal

Michael Ridenhour

Julia Avant

Christine Tuong

Jerrad Neal

Danielle Rhem

Anthony Nored

Stacy Tapia

Joseph Gutierrez

Emily Smith

Nichomah Crowkiller

Hunter Gibbons

Gabriel Cordova

Dillon Reed

Steven Witt

Serena Baca

Devon Hayes

Vanessa Reyes

Anthony Anderson

Brisa Lopez

Jenicee Carter

Aesialeigh Roqumore

Shaun Patterson

Tyler Atchley

Alanah Phillips

Valeria Rico

Kataryne Bell

Eduardo Reyes

Alex Ramirez

Ricardo J. Rogel

Sophia Avianeda

Taylor Boldt

Aleicia Putrow

Liana Venegas

Deontae Moore

Isaac Humer

Brittney Price

Jennifer Price

Angelita Durazo

Jordan Celestine

Regina Tate

Joshua Roberts

Reina Lopaez

Benjamin Picaso

Devin Jennings

Gustavo Turrentine

Anndreah Robertson

Joseph Alva

Baby Girl Porzel

Krystal Souza

Jordan Rader

Serena Schmidt

Julia Garrett

Jesse Cope

Jilian Mendoza

Marissa Barrios

Raymond Dauberman

Steven Greathouse