Sunday, August 30, 2009

My heart hurts

My heart is hurting so badly right now. I had no idea this had happened. I prayed for little Lavender to come home. Her mom was waiting for her TA about the same time we were waiting on Sophie. We had even emailed back and forth and commented on each others blogs. My heart is just hurting so badly right now.

Authorities recently arrested a 41-year-old woman who allegedly murdered her adopted, 3-year-old daughter when they were living in Elk Grove last year.

Suspect Sabrina Alberta Banks was arrested at her home in Visalia on Aug. 5, Elk Grove police spokesperson Christopher Trim said. Visalia police took her into custody and she was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on Aug. 8.

“The death wasn’t an accident and the motive is unknown at this time,” Trim said.

Banks first dialed 911 about her daughter, Lavender being unresponsive on May 2, 2008. Elk Grove police and paramedics came to the scene on the 9900 block of Sorrentino Drive in the East Franklin area. They could not save her life in time.

Sacramento County coroners determined that Lavender died from asphyxia and several blunt force injuries, said Ed Smith, a spokesperson for the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office.

Trim reported that Elk Grove police detectives investigated the death and later concluded that Banks killed her daughter. A warrant was then issued for the suspect’s arrest.

Banks is charged with committing murder, assault resulting in the death of a child under 8 years of age and endangering a child’s life.

There were previously no reported homicides in Elk Grove last year - the Banks case is now its lone incident.

Banks’ next court hearing is scheduled for Aug. 11 at the Sacramento Superior Court, according to jail records.




3 comments:

Chelley said...

this makes me feel so sick...

Cristy said...

I am devastated. I have no words for the sadness of this situation....

Ohilda said...

I can't tell you how often daily I think about Lavender. I felt like I was sucker-punched last night too, when I found out that a 3 mo. old had died in Sabrina's care and the history of allegations of abuse filed to CPS is astonishing....how could this happen? Lavender should NEVER have been allowed into this woman's house (cause I can't even call it a home).