NYC Mourns for Young Girl Beaten to Death

By VERENA DOBNIK, Associated Press Writer
You see why these bastards are no good. These agencies should be closed down! Period!

NEW YORK - Hours after family, friends and strangers said a tearful goodbye to a 7-year-old girl allegedly beaten to death by her stepfather, city officials announced a shake up Wednesday at the agency that missed warning signs.
A half-dozen employees at the Administration for Children's Services were suspended or disciplined for inadequate responses to reports of problems with Nixzmary Brown, said agency chief John Mattingly.
Nixzmary's stepfather, Cesar Rodriguez, allegedly beat the Brooklyn girl on Jan. 10 over a missing container of yogurt.
According to Brooklyn District Attorney Charles J. Hynes, Rodriguez banished the girl to a rodent-infested room with a litter box filled with feces, a wooden chair tied to a radiator and dirty mattresses, then later beat her and dunked her head into a bathtub. Nixzmary was dead the next morning.
Rodriguez and the girl's mother, Nixzaliz Santiago, were indicted Tuesday on charges of second-degree murder, child endangerment and assault. The mother allegedly ignored her daughter's cries for help.
The agency launched a review of thousands of other cases after Nixzmary's death.
In Nixzmary's case, there had been signs of trouble, but children's services officials said the family was uncooperative. School employees last year reported the girl had been absent for weeks, but caseworkers found no conclusive evidence of abuse, authorities said. Neighbors also said they had noticed unexplained injuries.
"The staff made poor investigative decisions, and gave inadequate attention to clear warning signs," Mattingly said.
Earlier Wednesday, the sounds of weeping filled St. Mary Church as Nixmary's body lay inside a coffin before an altar still decorated with Christmas poinsettias.
"We have a reminder by the death of this child that the violence continues," said the Rev. Robert O'Neil, the church pastor. "She is a witness for us."
Lucy Rivera, 60, had never met Nixzmary or her family but felt obliged to attend the service in her Manhattan neighborhood. Rivera blamed the little girl's mother for failing to protect the child.
"The first person who should have defended her was the mother," she said. "She was the first person who failed her."