On October 18, 2023, one-year-old Saraphina Avarose Sanchez was found badly injured at the Woodland Village Apartments in Leavenworth, Kansas, while in the care of her mother's boyfriend. The mother, Liberti Figueroa, returned from work around 2 p.m. and was told by her boyfriend that the child was sick and sleeping. After approximately 3.5 to 4 hours, when the mother asked him to check on the child, she discovered the baby with severe injuries including blood on her face. The boyfriend offered conflicting explanations — claiming at one point that the mother's 4-year-old son had dropped the baby from her crib, and at another that the son had hit her with an Xbox controller. The mother called 911 just before 5:30 p.m. The child received CPR for approximately 90 minutes before being transported to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The boyfriend fled after paramedics arrived. As of eight months later, no charges had been filed, and the case remained under investigation.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
The mother describes finding her child "badly injured" with "blood all over her face." The boyfriend offered changing explanations: in document 1 he claimed "Your son dropped her out of her crib" and in document 2 the mother says "He said, 'My son smacked her with the Xbox controller.'" The mother states "That man took my child from me," and police described the toddler's injuries as "suspicious." While no official determination of inflicted injury has been made, the circumstances strongly imply the child suffered inflicted injuries.
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
The mother's boyfriend was alone with the child when the injuries occurred. The mother states "That man took my child from me." He gave shifting explanations for the child's injuries ("Your son dropped her out of her crib" in document 1, and "My son smacked her with the Xbox controller" in document 2). He also "left after paramedics arrived" per document 1. Although no charges have been filed and police have not officially identified him as a suspect, the totality of the mother's account and the suspicious circumstances strongly imply the male paramour's involvement.
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
Several notable details emerge from the sources. First, as of eight months after the incident, no charges had been filed despite the mother's repeated pleas. Second, document 2 reveals a conflict within the police department: the mother was told by an officer on June 19 that "my daughter's case was closed, that there was nothing they could do, unless I had legitimate adamant proof that I could bring to them," while Interim Police Chief Nicodemus contradicted this by stating "The case is still open and no charging decisions have been made at this time." Third, the boyfriend fled the scene after paramedics arrived and "she hasn't seen him since," yet no arrest was made. Fourth, FOX4 chose not to identify the boyfriend because police had not named him as a suspect. County Attorney Todd Thompson acknowledged the case was "rather extensive" and "a very complicated case" but offered no timeline for resolution. These details suggest potential systemic issues in the investigative and charging process.
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