- Justina Morales
Justina Morales (
February 19 ,1987 -December 31 ,1995 ) was a young girl from theBedford-Stuyvesant section ofBrooklyn, New York ,USA who was killed at the age of eight years by her mother's boyfriend Luis Santiago, onNew Year's Eve in 1995. Morales' body was never found, however her murder case gained notoriety primarily through theNew York City newspapers.Disappearance
Morales' disappearance had gone unnoticed for more than a year. Teachers and school officials failed to take note of her long absence.cite web|date =|title =Fatal Miscommunication|publisher =New York Times| url =http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F00E2DC1F3FF93AA25751C0A961958260| accessdate=2008-03-03] In February, 1997, a relative informed the police that Morales had been missing and was possibly killed. [cite web|date =February 16, 1997|title =Police Are Told That Missing Girl Was Slain| publisher =New York Times| url =http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9500E4D7133FF935A25751C0A961958260| accessdate=2008-03-03] The subsequent investigation, similar to those in the deaths of
Elisa Izquierdo andNadine Lockwood in the same time-frame, disclosed shortcomings of the New York City child welfare system. [cite web|date=December 2 ,1997 |title =NYC; Sad Parody Of Parenthood And Justice| publisher =New York Times| url =http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE5D8163DF931A35751C1A961958260| accessdate =2008-03-03]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.cite web|date =November 20, 1997|title=Former Boyfriend of Mother Goes on Trial in Brooklyn in Death of a Child, 8|publisher =New York Times| url =http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9506E5DC143BF933A15752C1A961958260|accessdate =2008-03-03] Morales' mother, Denise Solero, who was Santiago's girlfriend, had likewise been abused by him. 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.cite web| date =December 23, 1997|title =Killer of Girl, 8, Gets Up to 19 Years in Prison| publisher =New York Times - Metro News Briefs: New York| url =http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9500E0DD123EF930A15751C1A961958260| accessdate =2008-03-03] Solero had agreed to testify against Santiago in exchange for probation.cite web| date =January 9, 1998|title =Murdered Child's Mother Gets 5-Year Probation| publisher =New York Times| url =http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950CE7D81F30F93AA35752C0A96E958260|accessdate =2008-03-03] It was reported in 1999 that Solero wanted to be reunited with another daughter.cite web| date =March 7, 1999|title =Judge: Killer Mom Can't Visit Daughter|publisher =Google Groups Alt.True.Crime (from New York Daily News, March 7, 1999 article)| url =http://groups.google.com/group/alt.true-crime/browse_thread/thread/20a5cedeb690c344/21c5b0ab74da0715%2321c5b0ab74da0715| accessdate =2008-03-03] It was reported that Solero had changed her name to "Forbes" and was seeking supervised visits with her then 2-year daughter, Sierra. 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". Bruno further said: "It may be disappointing, but should not be a surprise that this is my position."
2008
In January 2008 The New York Post published an article by Andrea Peyser. It compared Morales to
Nixzmary Brown whose murder trial began the same month.cite web| date =January 21 ,2008 |title ="Do right for a wronged little angel"| author =Andrea Peyser| publisher =New York Post|url =http://www.nypost.com/seven/01212008/news/columnists/do_right_for__a_wronged_little_angel_142693.htm| accessdate =2008-01-22]References
ee also
*
Abuse
*Child abuse
*Child sexual abuse
*Nixzmary Brown
*Pedophilia
*Sexual abuse
*Statutory rape External links
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Morales&GSfn=Justina&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=10065721&Justina Morales at]
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