Man Charged With Killing Foster Baby

Share

By By KOMO Staff & News Services

Summary

The 22-year-old Auburn man admitted he hit the 8-month-old baby's head against a wall last week.

Story Published: Oct 26, 2004 at 12:01 AM PDT

Story Updated: Aug 31, 2006 at 1:36 AM PDT

Man Charged With Killing Foster Baby
SEATTLE - A 22-year-old Auburn man was charged Monday with second-degree murder in the death of an 8-month-old foster child, the King County prosecutor's office said.

Jeremy James Sanchez admitted he shook Lorenzo Wilson and struck his head against a wall last Wednesday.

"Sanchez said he is under a lot of stress because his father is going blind, his uncle is having heart surgery, his ex-girlfriend won't let him see his daughter ...," King County sheriff's Detective Michael E. Sutherland wrote in court papers.

"I got a call Wednesday. They said it was not looking good. It was about my baby," said Bonnie Wilson, Lorenzo's mother. Bonnie has been in treatment for alcohol abuse but said she trusted her baby was safe in foster care.

Sanchez was living with his ex-girlfriend's sister, Huyana M. Tougaw, 27, who was the foster mother of the baby.

He had been caring for 8-month-old Lorenzo and a 5-year-old foster child during the days while Tougaw was at work - though he had not been approved by Child Protective Services to care for the children.

The charging document said that on Oct. 20, he called Tougaw home from work because the baby had fallen off a bed and was not responsive, he initially told detectives. Tougaw called 911.

Doctors at Harborview Medical Center, where the baby died Friday, said the injuries - skull fractures, brain shifting, brain swelling - were too serious to have come from falling off a 15-inch-high bed.

In subsequent interviews, Sanchez admitted he hit the baby's head against a wall, though he said it was accidental, the document said.

He told detectives, "I want to go to jail and get it over with."

The foster mother told detectives she didn't tell Child Protective Services that Sanchez was watching Lorenzo because he would not have passed the background check. Sanchez has a previous conviction for marijuana possession.

"I wish we would have got him back," said John Wilson, Lorenzo's Grandfather. Lorenzo's grandparents wanted custody, but said DSHS would not approve it. "It hurts inside," Wilson said.

A DSHS spokesperson said that children are placed with relatives when possible, but was unable to provide details about Lorenzo's case.

Sanchez is scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 4 in King County Superior Court.