Justina Morales

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Justina Morales (February 19, 1987 - December 31, 1995) was a young girl from the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, New York, USA who was killed at the age of eight years by her mother's boyfriend Luis Santiago, on New Year's Eve in 1995. Morales' body was never found, however her murder case gained notoriety primarily through the New York City newspapers.

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[edit] Disappearance

Morales' disappearance had gone unnoticed for more than a year until February, 1997 when a relative had informed police that she had been missing and was possibly killed.[1] What was notable was that, in the Morales case, there was the fact that teachers and school officials did not take note of her long absence and had they done so, then her disappearance might have been investigated sooner.[2] The subsequent investigation, similar to those in the deaths of Elisa Izquierdo and Nadine Lockwood in the same time-frame, disclosed shortcomings of the New York City child welfare system.[3]

[edit] Trial - 1997

In 1997, Santiago's trial revealed that he had abused the girl physically for several years and that he had beaten her to death when she had refused to take a bath.[4] Morales' mother, Denise Solero, who was Santiago's girlfriend, had likewise been abused by him.[4] Several news reports and editorials portrayed Solero as a victim who was terrified to inform anyone that her daughter had been killed, while other accounts depicted her as an accomplice to the crime who displayed a depraved indifference toward her daughter's plight. Two years after Morales' murder, Santiago was sentenced from six-to-nineteen years in prison.[5] Solero had agreed to testify against Santiago in exchange for probation.[6] It was reported in 1999 that Solero wanted to be reunited with another daughter.[7] It was reported that Solero had changed her name to "Forbes" and was seeking supervised visits with her then 2-year daughter, Sierra.[7] The Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Joseph Bruno said there was no chance for a mother-daughter reunion that year, saying: "At this point, I see no basis to allow her to visit with any child, particularly her own child".[7] Bruno further said: "It may be disappointing, but should not be a surprise that this is my position."[7]

[edit] Update - 2008

Andrea Peyser wrote a recent article and compared Morales to Nixzmary Brown, whose murder trial began in January 2008.[8]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Police Are Told That Missing Girl Was Slain. New York Times (February 16, 1997). Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
  2. ^ Fatal Miscommunication. New York Times. Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
  3. ^ NYC; Sad Parody Of Parenthood And Justice. New York Times (December 2, 1997). Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
  4. ^ a b Former Boyfriend of Mother Goes on Trial in Brooklyn in Death of a Child, 8. New York Times (November 20, 1997). Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
  5. ^ Killer of Girl, 8, Gets Up to 19 Years in Prison. New York Times - Metro News Briefs: New York (December 23, 1997). Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
  6. ^ Murdered Child's Mother Gets 5-Year Probation. New York Times (January 9, 1998). Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
  7. ^ a b c d Judge: Killer Mom Can't Visit Daughter. Google Groups Alt.True.Crime (from New York Daily News, March 7, 1999 article) (March 7, 1999). Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
  8. ^ Andrea Peyser (January 21, 2008). "Do right for a wronged little angel". New York Post. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.

[edit] See Also

[edit] External links