Aldrich Leathers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aldrich Leathers was found floating in the tub with his bath toys after Aldrich’s mom, Muriel Keer, left him in the bathtub as it filled with water while she logged on to a computer in the kitchen to check Facebook. By the time someone else went into the bathroom, the tub was overflowing.

 

Keer was arrested two weeks before Aldrich was born, and while she denied using methamphetamine, she admitted to cooking and selling the drug. She was still in custody when she gave birth to baby Aldrich on November 27, 2010. He was placed in foster care immediately after he was born. She pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance in October 2010 and was placed on probation.

 In January 2011, Aldrich was returned to his mother who was ordered to complete parenting classes and substance abuse treatment. The next month, the Denver Department of Human Services received a report that Keer was repeatedly leaving Aldrich alone for up to 30 minutes while she went outside to smoke cigarettes. The report was passed along to a caseworker, but it was not immediately investigated. The person who called human services was told to call police the next time the baby was left alone.

 

Caseworkers received a second report that day. A mandatory reporter claimed that three days earlier, Keer arrived to one of her substance abuse classes intoxicated. She also said she no longer wanted her baby because he “takes up too much of her time and always cries.” Still, Aldrich’s case was closed in June 2011, after caseworkers felt Keer successfully finished her treatment plan. She finished her treatment plan but what about her parenting classes?

 

Less than a month later, a mandated reporter said that Keer’s home was filthy. Caseworkers called police to check the home. Officers said it was cluttered, but there was plenty of food. Caseworkers never investigated the report. Aldrich was left with his mother. So many chances to help Aldrich yet two months later, he was found floating face down in a bathtub. Police noticed red marks on Aldrich’s backside, but Keer said they resulted from diaper rash, not abuse. She described Aldrich’s death as an accident.

 

 

 

 

 

http://childfatalities.denverpost.com/#id=31&name=LeathersAldrich