Mother’s accountability in 2-year-old’s death unresolved

Jen Lawson

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2005 | 9:43 a.m.

Metro Police are not saying whether the mother of the 2-year-old girl who died as the result of alleged abuse should have notified authorities in prior weeks about the child's numerous injuries.

"Is she the focus of the investigation? No," Lt. Brad Simpson of Metro's abuse and neglect detail said.

Osvaldo Lopez, 26, the live-in boyfriend of 19-year-old Roxie Southall has been charged in connection with Jada Southall's death.

Police said Lopez beat and shook the toddler while her mother was working at Target.

The coroner's office said this morning that Jada died as a result of subdoral hematoma, or bleeding of the brain, due to child abuse.

Lopez was also abusive toward Southall, her relatives allege. If that is true, that could be a reason why she didn't stop or report the possible abuse of her children, if she knew about it, Simpson said. She could face neglect charges if police find evidence that she failed to protect her children.

Lopez, who has been arrested for domestic violence five times since 1999, was Southall's regular babysitter, she told police.

When she would come home to find Jada with a broken collarbone or with bruises, he said she fell or objects fell on her, Southall said.

Lopez called 911 Monday night after Jada stopped breathing. He later told detectives that he threw her about four feet because she wouldn't stop crying. Police said her injuries -- hemmorages in the retinas of her eyes and bleeding in her brain -- were consistent with shaken baby syndrome.

Because of other injuries doctors noted, police are also investigating whether Jada had been molested.

Her 1-year-old brother had bruises on his inner legs, face and arms, and his hands appeared to be swollen, the police report says. He was taken to Child Haven.

Lopez was arrested on two counts of child abuse causing substantial bodily harm. Jada died Tuesday night at Sunrise Hospital, and Wednesday afternoon police filed a charge of murder by child abuse against Lopez.

This morning a judge set Lopez's bail at $150,000.

Southall is three months pregnant with Lopez's child, police said.