Janessa Aguirre

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two year old Janessa was murdered by her foster mother Marcias Reinhold, who was going to adopt her. She was beaten to death, she had injuries to her head and internal bleeding. Her little face had been burned and branded. Her mouth and chin had been scalded by hot food.

 

On December 15, 1997, Reinhold called 911 and asked the Anchorage Police Department for medical assistance. Reinhold claimed that she found Aguirre under the water in the bathtub with a telephone cord wrapped around her neck. The paramedics found that Janessa had no pulse and was not breathing. She was taken to a medical center. Janessa had distinctive patterned facial burns that Provencio thought looked like "branding." Aguirre had fixed and dilated pupils indicative of brain trauma. She had numerous injuries over her body, front and back, of varying ages. She had bruises and severe burns on her head and face. She was unresponsive. A CT scan showed a sub-dural hematoma. A pediatric ophthalmologist who examined Janessa, Dr. Robin Grendahl, was "overwhelmed" when she saw Janessa's multiple retinal hemorrhages and swollen optic nerves. Those clinical signs were consistent with severe abuse. Janessa died early the next morning, December 16.

 

Investigators say it appeared Janessa was hurt in two separate incidents over a few days. There was no indication of long term abuse. Investigators say her injuries were inconsistent with a fall in the tub. Reinhold recanted and admitted that she had injured Janessa. Reinhold described knocking Janessa from a chair when Reinhold was angry causing Janessa to strike the back of her head against a concrete floor. Later, when Reinhold was trying to examine Janessa's head for injury, Reinhold became frustrated with her and held a hair dryer to her face to try to hold her still. Reinhold later broke and discarded the hair dryer. Another time, Reinhold gave Janessa a hot oatmeal cereal mix in a bottle that caused the severe burn to Aguirre's mouth and lips. After Aguirre threw the bottle, Reinhold picked Aguirre up and threw her on the floor. Marcia Reinhold pleaded no contest to second degree murder and faces a maximum of 99 years in prison.

 

It is heartbreaking that So many little angel's like Janessa are put in to foster care only to be murdered.