Post by CCADP on Aug 13, 2005 20:50:13 GMT -5
Atascosa mother held in meth death
An Atascosa County woman was charged with capital murder Friday following
a lengthy investigation into the June 2004 death of her 3-month-old
daughter.
Gilda Casarez, 31, of Lytle reportedly admitted to Atascosa County
sheriff's investigators that she fed her baby a bottle of formula spiked
with a heavy dose of methamphetamine.
"She admitted to knowingly making that bottle from the can that contained
methamphetamines, and giving that bottle to the baby," said Chief Deputy
David Soward.
"She has not given us a motive, but we feel the intent was clear," he
said. "We feel from the evidence there was no accident."
Soward said an autopsy last year showed the baby, Ariella Perez, had
enough of the drug in her system to kill an adult, and that the baby's
bottle also contained methamphetamines.
Initially, Casarez said Ariella died in her sleep, but the mother's
subsequent statements were inconsistent, Soward said. Ultimately, she
acknowledged accidentally mixing the drug, in its crystalline form, known
as "ice," with the formula, he said.
"She was in the car, and when she saw a police officer, she hid a bag of
ice in the formula can," he said. "When she later removed the bag, she
noticed that a majority of it had come out, but she never bothered to
throw it away."
Soward said a baby born to Casarez this summer was removed by Child
Protective Services and is living with a relative.
An Atascosa County grand jury indicted Casarez on Wednesday. She is being
held on $225,000 bond in the Atascosa County Jail.
"This is a case where she could have gotten away with it if not for the
persistent detective work," said Sheriff Tommy Williams.
(source: San Antonio Express-News)
An Atascosa County woman was charged with capital murder Friday following
a lengthy investigation into the June 2004 death of her 3-month-old
daughter.
Gilda Casarez, 31, of Lytle reportedly admitted to Atascosa County
sheriff's investigators that she fed her baby a bottle of formula spiked
with a heavy dose of methamphetamine.
"She admitted to knowingly making that bottle from the can that contained
methamphetamines, and giving that bottle to the baby," said Chief Deputy
David Soward.
"She has not given us a motive, but we feel the intent was clear," he
said. "We feel from the evidence there was no accident."
Soward said an autopsy last year showed the baby, Ariella Perez, had
enough of the drug in her system to kill an adult, and that the baby's
bottle also contained methamphetamines.
Initially, Casarez said Ariella died in her sleep, but the mother's
subsequent statements were inconsistent, Soward said. Ultimately, she
acknowledged accidentally mixing the drug, in its crystalline form, known
as "ice," with the formula, he said.
"She was in the car, and when she saw a police officer, she hid a bag of
ice in the formula can," he said. "When she later removed the bag, she
noticed that a majority of it had come out, but she never bothered to
throw it away."
Soward said a baby born to Casarez this summer was removed by Child
Protective Services and is living with a relative.
An Atascosa County grand jury indicted Casarez on Wednesday. She is being
held on $225,000 bond in the Atascosa County Jail.
"This is a case where she could have gotten away with it if not for the
persistent detective work," said Sheriff Tommy Williams.
(source: San Antonio Express-News)