From Bakersfield: one of sickest and most vile stories I have come across in my life. A Four year old child been blinded by his father after eating his son’s left eye and severely mutilated the boy’s right eye in late April. Apparently, the boy’s father, Angelo Mendoza, Sr. 34 of Bakersfield, was possibility high on PCP, biting off Angelo Mendoza, Jr. left eye. Neighbors heard the blood curdling scream and called police.
Angel Jr. told Bakersfield Police that of the My daddy at my eyes. The police caught the father at neighbors house next door. At that residence, Mendoza was found naked chained to a tree with leg injuries caused by Mendoza using an ax. The neighbor took the ax from Mendoza. The police arrested Mendoza and was taken to the hospital. Angel was also taken Mercy Hospital in Bakersfield.
Neighbors were horrified when they heard the screams and the details of the attack. Ramon Rodriguez, said” it was pretty bizarre.” “The guy was crazy. real bug eyed, he had to be drugs”, said Rodriguez.
Earlier, Little Angel Mendoza told his mother (name given Desiree )as she was leaving (as she doesn’t live with her husband.) Don’t leave me , mommy; daddy scares me. But she doesn’t heed her child’s pleas. The child was his father custody. Since the attack little Angel is in foster care.
Angel Mendoza Sr has rap sheet mile long in Kern County including and arrest of child endangerment with his wife Desiree on charges of use of PCP; in 2006.
Police have charged with Mendoza Sr with Aggravated mayhem, torture; willful cruelty to a child, inflicted cruelty on a child. He is in the Kern County Jail after a short recovery stay in jail ward of Kern Medical Center.
Bakersfield politicians are outraged and demanding answers. California State Senator Dean Florez who represents the area is angered with situation. Florez released a statement to KGET’s “News 17 ” quote:
“This outrageous case of child abuse deserves a great deal of scrutiny, and given the seriousness of 4-year-old Angelo Mendoza’s injuries, I think it is fair to question whether child protective authorities let him down.
”A young child living with drugged-out parents deserves extra attention from child protective authorities and it is not clear whether Angelo received the necessary supervision that could have protected him.
”This is especially troubling given that Angelo’s parents had already pleaded no contest to child endangerment charges in the past, as a result of using PCP. The fact that little Angelo’s mom had an arrest warrant for failing to complete a drug treatment program looks like a warning sign that was missed.
”While the decision on whether or not to remove a child from a parent can be difficult, I think we should always error on the side of caution. This is especially true when you have parents who abuse PCP — a very dangerous and unpredictable drug.
”I expect the Kern County Board of Supervisors to initiate a full investigation by an outside agency to study whether there were any failures in protecting Angelo Mendoza from harm.
”Kern County should have the best operating practices at CPS that puts the safety and well-being of children as its first priority.
”Only through an honest assessment by outside experts would we be able to know whether everything that could have been done to protect Angelo was put in place by Kern Child Protective Services.
”If laws need to be changed in order to protect kids like Angelo, then Child Protective authorities shouldn’t be sitting idly silently. We need to hear from them immediately.”
Kern County Supervisor Ray Watson is waiting for answer from department of Child Protection Services on the Mendoza case. The department officials should explain the case to Kern County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. Mendoza is in court on Wednesday to be arraigned.
The Child Welfare system in America is beyond broken. It need to destroyed and start from scratch. For the last 10-15 years or more children who need help don’t get it and the one’s who don’t need get help and taken away. And the social workers complain about the workload, lack of money and resources; and yet money is increased, resources including more workers and equipment are provided. It seems that the situations keeps the status quo with children dying either with their parents or foster care providers.
Tax Payers must demand satisfaction. Workers must be fired after these cases are investigated found culpable. Some must be prosecuted to fullest extent of the law. Enough is enough. Cases involved false accusation the child(ren) must be returned to their parents. Parents should be given effective help when they need it not forced on them. State County and federal officials must cut off monies if true reform don’t show great results. The Bullshit must stop. NOW!
Smart and silly 