Biological mom says she raised flag over son's bruises

VIRGINIA BEACH

A 10-month-old baby, Braxton Taylor, died two years ago at the hands of his foster mother. She’s locked up on a voluntary manslaughter conviction after investigators determined she shook the boy to death.

Now the baby’s biological mother is speaking out. Kristen Wall, 30, says she alerted a social worker of possible abuse during a supervised visit with her son days before he died. She noted numerous bruises on his head and back, but she says no action was taken.

“The social worker brushed me off,” Wall said in an interview Friday with The Virginian-Pilot.

Her remarks came a day after a TV news report raised questions about the city’s handling of the case.

Robert Morin, the city’s Human Services director, was unavailable to comment on the allegation. He told WTKR-TV his department hadn’t done anything wrong.

Wall, however, says social workers should have known something wasn’t right and stepped in.

She first made the claim nearly a year ago, before the criminal trial, in a pair of wrongful-death lawsuits filed against the city and her son’s foster parents. Wall and Braxton’s biological father, Ralph M. Taylor Jr., are seeking damages totaling more than $6.1 million.

Both civil suits are pending. The City Attorney’s Office filed a motion this week to keep the Human Services case file sealed, citing confidentiality laws.

Wall, who has a lengthy criminal record, gave birth to Braxton in April 2009 as she was preparing to face numerous drug-related charges. He was placed in foster care while Wall worked on her drug addiction, according to court records.

The boy thrived for seven months living with his initial foster parents, according to court testimony. But three months after he left their care, he was shaken to death by his second foster mother, 30-year-old Kathleen Ganiere.

She pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter last year and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

When 10-month-old Braxton was admitted to the hospital just before his death, he weighed less than he did at his six-month checkup, according to a stipulation of facts in the criminal case. His testicles were crushed, and his groin, abdomen and ear were bruised.

Two weeks earlier, Wall said, she noticed injuries during an hourlong visit with her son at the city’s Human Services office. Wall said she asked the caseworker supervising the visit about bruises on the baby’s head and back and a gash on his lip.

The injuries are apparent in photos of Wall posing with her son during the visit. The foster mother told the social worker the boy had fallen, causing the bruises, Wall said.

“I told her something wasn’t right,” she said.

Wall’s attorney, Robert Haddad, said he hopes a judge will order the city to unseal the boy’s case file. It should include documentation of Wall’s short visit and her concerns, as well as what steps were taken to investigate, he said.

“It should have some answers.”

Mike Hixenbaugh, 757-222-5117, mike.hixenbaugh@pilotonline.com