Investigators said they are still unsure of the circumstances surrounding the toddler's death, but the incident has triggered criticism and a review of the local foster care system.
The child's mother insists the county wrongfully took Jaime and her three other children from her. County Department of Social and Employment Services have asked for a state review of the case.
Meanwhile, the District Attorney's Office is reviewing the case to determine whether negligence-related charges should be filed against the foster parents.
Jaime died Nov. 27 after being fatally injured at a Cactus Court foster care home operated by Ada and Antonio Sifuentes. At the time of his death, the boy had been under the Sifuentes' care for nearly half his life. Officials from the Monterey County Coroner's division have been unable to conclude whether the death was an accident or a criminal act. Salinas police say they believe the death was an accident, probably resulting from a collision the hyperactive boy had with a dull, small object that caused internal bleeding and an infection in his stomach.
Jaime's biological mother, Megan Allen, said she believes her son was physically abused while in foster care.
"His body was covered with bruises," said the 24-year-old Salinas woman. "I don't know what went wrong in that (foster care) house."
Caring for nine children|
According to county officials, the Sifuentes couple was new to the foster care system, having received their foster care license four months before they took in Jaime and his two older siblings in December 2004.
At the time of the incident, the Sifuenteses were caring for a total of nine children, ranging in age from 2 to 14, including their own three children.
Citing confidentiality policies, the director of the Monterey County Department of Social and Employment Services, Elliott Robinson, would not discuss the specifics of the case. But he did say the Sifuenteses were qualified caregivers.
"The foster care parents had resources and the children were well cared for," said Robinson.
Nevertheless, Robinson acknowledged that an internal review of the case did raise concerns for him about the number of children in the Sifuentes' home.
Robinson has asked the California Department of Social Services to review the case, partly due to criticism from Allen's lawyer and supporters.
"I do want the community to be comfortable with what we are doing in child welfare," he said.
Allen has retained a lawyer who said he is preparing a lawsuit on behalf of Allen and is considering filing a class-action lawsuit on behalf of other parents he believes have been "disenfranchised by the juvenile dependency program."
Allen's attorney, Robert Powell of San Jose, has been an outspoken critic of the state's foster care system and has been involved in several high-profile cases involving other social service departments.
Several full-page advertisements placed in local newspapers have solicited other parents who may have had bad experiences with the county's social services department.
Looking for justice|
Allen said in an interview late last month that she wants custody of her three remaining children, a 7-year-old daughter and two sons, ages 6 and 5 months. She said the youngest is with a family in Santa Cruz and she believes the older two are with a family in Monterey County.
Clad in a baggy pink sweater, Allen hunched low in a sofa chair during an interview with The Herald.
Allen said she is looking for justice for her son's death.
Powell said Allen's children were in no immediate risk of bodily injury at the time of their removal from Allen's care by Children Protective Services in December 2004, and that their removal was unlawful. According to Allen, county authorities intervened in her family after she contacted law enforcement because she suspected her daughter was being abused by another family member.
Investigators claimed there was no evidence to support her claims, but representatives from Child Protective Services removed her children from the home because they reportedly appeared sick and did not appear to be adequately cared for. Allen said county officials claimed she was using drugs, an allegation she denies.
Jaime died on a Sunday morning, three days after Thanksgiving. When the Sifuenteses realized the child was unconscious, they called for help shortly before 8:30 a.m., according to the Salinas police.
He died about 20 minutes later, after being taken to Natividad Medical Center.
According to the pathologist's report, Jaime sustained a blow to the stomach, caused by "forceful impact by or against" a smooth object, about two inches wide. It apparently happened several days before he died, according to the report. The force ripped apart his small intestine and bowel tissues, unleashing a torrent of blood and an infection.
Several traumatic injuries|
Sgt. Stacie McGrady, with the Monterey County Sheriff's Coroner Division, said it is impossible to determine what caused the blow.
Salinas police Sgt. Mike Groves said the foster parents told investigators they did not seek immediate medical attention because they didn't realize the extent of Jaime's injuries.
The Sifuenteses initially believed he was simply ill, Groves said, and the boy always seemed to be injured because of what Groves referred to as his erratic behavior.
"He was regularly hitting his head (on the floor and the wall), throwing tantrums," Groves said. "Things that they (the Sifuenteses) weren't able to control."