Infant’s injuries in foster care spark protest
EL CENTRO — Family and friends of a 2-year-old girl who was seriously injured two years ago called out for justice on Friday outside the county Superior Courthouse here.
While Anna Cecilia Alvanes was under the care of a foster family in Brawley in 2019, she was hospitalized with 12 fractures.
Although the child’s family suspects that someone in the household of the foster family caused these injuries to the girl, no charges ever have been filed.
Filled with frustration and a desire for justice, Anna Cecilia’s mother, Lidia Montano, and her father, Jose Alvanes, as well as other members of the family peacefully protested from 3 to 4 p.m. across the street from the courthouse.
This location was chosen in hope of getting the attention of the county District Attorney’s Office, Montano explained.
“What we want is to be heard,” she said.
Child Protective Services took custody of Alvanes from Montano a few days after she was born.
This was the result of Montano and her husband, Alvanes, struggling with addiction and domestic violence.
Montano said her daughter was never hurt or abused while she was under her and her husband’s care.
While under the care of the foster family, Anna Cecilia was hospitalized in the intensive care unit of Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego on April 9, 2019, less than a month after she was born.
A medical report regarding the girl’s injuries reads, “These are inflicted injuries. The multiple metaphyseal fractures are typically the result of twisting and yanking on the extremities.”
Montano said the foster parents refused to give a statement to authorities, as they were advised by their lawyer not to.
On Wednesday, Montano spoke with a Brawley Police Department investigator, who reportedly said the department cannot press charges, as no statement has been given.
“We’d want to encourage them to give a statement,” Montano said of the foster parents. “They’re the ones that know what happened. Please give a statement.”
Adding to the complexity of the case was the fact there were more people in the household at the time than only the foster parents, Montano said.
Consequently, there is no open case regarding Anna Cecilia’s injuries.
“We believe it’s not fair,” Montano said. “We’re hoping they do something about it.”
In January 2020, Montano and her husband dismissed their CPS case and now have full custody of their daughter.
Montano, who is originally from Calexico, and her husband currently live in Heber with their daughter, who was present during Friday’s protest.
“She’s here, and she’s actually a really happy baby,” Montano said.