Four-year-old had been abused for a week before beating death

KOBTV ^ | November 21, 2002

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

The body of a four-year-old boy who died after being beaten for drinking toilet water had signs of physical abuse that dated back at least a week before his death.

The autopsy on the body of Devon Boothe of Las Cruces was conducted by the Office of the Medical Examiner on September 25th, two days after the boy died.

The autopsy report lists the cause of death as homicide, battered child syndrome.

Las Cruces police allege Devon was beaten by his ten-year-old sister on orders from their stepfather, Louie Guerrero.

Guerrero and Devon's mother, Natasha Guerrero, have been charged with child abuse resulting in death. They've pleaded innocent.

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

Follow up to story originally posted HERE

[riley1992]

I have a four year old asleep in bed right now as I type this. There are just no words adequate enough to describe what I felt reading this.

[Knuckrider]

Dear God in heaven, how can anything like this happen in our country. I'm absolutly dumb-founded when I read crap like this. God help us all.

[cavtrooper21]

very sad ping

[scholar]

the boy was not allowed to have anything to drink after 4:00 p.m.

That was my first guess--why else would a child drink from a toilet for God's sake? Many children have bed-wetting problems and sometimes restriction of late night fluids is recommended--but 4 p.m.--that is ridiculous!

There are a number of medical problems that could cause this child's problem--are the parents addressing them?

I won't even address what I think should be done to the parents!

[GovernmentShrinker]

Parents who beat their children to death are so evil it's hard to find words to describe them. But parents who force children to beat their siblings to death . . . I can't begin to think of a sufficiently horrible punishment.

I remember another story like this a year or two ago -- abusive father made a couple of kids help him beat another one with a heavy electric cable until she died of hemorraghing, etc. Just imagine the lifetime of nightmares and depression and anger these surviving children will endure.

[GovernmentShrinker]

Actually, bedwetting is often a symptom of abuse, and in this case I think it's a much more likely explanation than any medical problem.

[Landru]

On the medical reason(s) for all this I naturally defer to your expertise, Angel.

For the *justice* part, though?

...I'll be the one to pull that lever.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Dear God in heaven, how can anything like this happen in our country.

It happens because there are animals living among us. Animals that are allowed to roam free and do as they please. They masquerade as human but they are not. They are evil to the core and have no regard for what is decent and beautiful.

Our society has grown too large to keep a handle on these beasts and we are now powerless to stop them. Better to piss against the tide.

Nevertheless, if our culture is to survive, these animals need to be identified and expurgated.

First identify and then....the Gom Jabbar.

[stainlessbanner]

Devon was beaten by his ten-year-old sister on orders from their stepfather

This is so sad : (

[scholar]

On the medical reason(s) for all this I naturally defer to your expertise, Angel.

I had a cousin who wet the bed on occasion until she was 15 yrs. old. She had been to doctors and there was no diagnosis. Thankfully, no one beat her to death!