Custodial dad gets 2 years for child mistreatment; failed to get medical treatment after step with "complex psychological issues" inflicts 2nd-degree burns on boy (Kittitas County, Washington)

Where to even start....

Why did this neglectful father, ROBERTO ANGEL SANCHEZ, have custody of his 3-year-old son? All he did was promptly dump him on the new psychostep, er, the new stepmother with "complex psychological issues." Who then promptly inflicted 2nd-degree burns on the boy because she couldn't deal with ordinary potty training. And then Daddy refused to intervene and take the kid to a doctor. Good God....It's not like he was physically afraid of her, because I seriously doubt she was 6 inches taller and 50 pounds heavier than he. And he certainly wasn't economically dependent on her.

Let's ask what is never asked. What happened to this little boy's mother, huh?

http://www.dailyrecordnews.com/news/father-gets-years-for-child-mistreatment/article_2abb4454-c074-11e1-9ff8-0019bb2963f4.html

Posted: Wednesday, June 27, 2012 1:59 pm | Updated: 9:26 am, Wed Jun 27, 2012.

Father gets 2 years for child mistreatment

By BARB OWENS staff writer The Daily Record
A man convicted in April of second-degree criminal mistreatment for failing to seek medical attention for his 3-year-old son after the child’s stepmother allegedly burned him in bath water was sentenced Monday to two years in prison.

Roberto Angel Sanchez, 25, of Ellensburg was convicted by a 12-person jury in Kittitas County Superior Court in April. The jury also found that Sanchez committed the crime against a vulnerable person incapable of resistance, allowing the court to go outside the standard sentence of six to 12 months, and give Sanchez up to five years in prison.

Sanchez’ wife, Sophia Marie Gonzalez, is accused of burning the child in late December because she was frustrated with his potty training progress, according to court documents. Gonzalez begged Sanchez not to take the child to the hospital because she was afraid of getting into trouble and afraid of what people would think, prosecutors said.

Sanchez was not blamed for causing his son’s injuries, which included superficial and deep second-degree burns over 10 percent of his body. The boy had burns that cut off circulation and burns on his buttocks and genitals, according to prosecutors. Prosecutors also said Sanchez waited 53 hours to take his son to the hospital and instead treated him with Neosporin, aloe vera and gauze.

Kittitas County Deputy Prosecutor Chris Herion said Sanchez knew the seriousness of his son’s injuries because he and Gonzalez completed an in-home parent education course. It was an 18-week session that involved 26 role-play scenarios, including one for burns. It also came with a manual that advised people how to treat minor burns and to call the doctor or 911 for serious burns.

Sanchez’ defense attorney Shane Silverthorn said the child received care, even though it was delayed. Sanchez researched the injuries on the Internet and did what he could to treat the burns, Silverthorn said.

Herion asked Kitititas County Superior Court Judge Scott Sparks to give Sanchez the maximum sentence of five years in prison. Sanchez did not want to say anything before Sparks gave his sentence.

Sparks said he didn’t have any evidence that suggested Sanchez intended to hurt his son.

“We’re not talking about your actions, but your failure of actions that society expects us to perform,” Sparks said. “Babies need parents’ help always.”

Sparks sentenced Sanchez to two years in prison. After he is released he will serve 18 months of community custody. There also is a five-year no-contact order in place between Sanchez and his son. The boy is in custody of the state of Washington.

Sophia Gonzalez is charged with second-degree child assault and second-degree criminal mistreatment for allegedly burning the boy. Gonzalez’s defense attorney has submitted documents stating she didn’t know the bathwater was dangerously hot and that she has complex psychological issues. Her trial is scheduled for July 24. She is being held in Kittitas County Jail on $250,000 bail.