Deandre Green, 2 [Updated]

March 23, 2010, 9:18 a.m.

Deandre Green, a 2-year-old black boy, died Saturday, March 20, in the 3100 block of Springdale Drive in Long Beach, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Hector Ernest Jr., a 26-year-old black man from Hawthorne, is accused of slaying Deandre, who was pronounced dead Saturday at Long Beach Memorial Hospital, police said.

Hospital officials called police after the boy was taken to the facility by his mother and Ernest, her boyfriend. Hospital staff tried unsuccessfully to revive Deandre, whose body showed signs of physical abuse, the Long Beach Police Department said.

Detectives believe neighbors may have heard Deandre crying or being abused, according to Long Beach police.

Members of Deandre's family said they had warned police and Los Angeles County child welfare officials at least twice about possible abuse in the last few months of the child's life.

Deandre's father told The Times in an interview Tuesday that in October he had taken his son to the Hawthorne Police Department to show officials bruises on the child's chest and stomach. Deandre's cousin said she had called the county Department of Children and Family Services in February to report her concerns.

The cousin, Lavetta Jones, and other family members said their calls went unreturned for weeks. At one point, someone at the county agency told them the person they needed to talk to was on vacation, the family members said.

"It wasn't as urgent as it should have been," the boy's grandmother, Sharlynn Pinkard, 43, said. "We truly sensed something wasn't right."

Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Mark McGuire or Det. Greg Krabbe at (562) 570-7244.

[Update May 4, 2011: Long Beach man sentenced in beating death of 2-year-old boy]

-- Robert J. Lopez, Tony Barboza and Garrett Therolf

KTLA Video: Mom's boyfriend arrested in toddler's beating death

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39 reader comments

A parent's first responsibility is to keep their child safe! BOTH parents failed this child. After finding out the authorities were not acting in the best interest of the child (at the police station), it's inconceivable that ANY adult relative would have chosen to leave this child with the mother and her boyfriend. As another person said, you cannot wait for the government to take care of your problems. Do what you can to fix them yourself! I'm embarrassed as a human being that there were so many adults who knew this child was being abused but did not choose to take him with them to keep him safe. Just when I think I've heard everything, a new and more horrific situation is in the news. Look at the stats for child homicide in LA! Get some parenting classes going for your mothers. They certainly need them. And maybe you all should, too. I hope you all get counselling to help you recognize your complicity in this murder, and to help you cope with the guilt you all must feel.

My comment may seem cruel. But nothing is as cruel as abusing a child or allowing it to happen!

— Katie July 5, 2010 at 10:20 p.m.

This is a tragedy, this beautiful little boy who shares the same name as my two year old grandson. Our system is flawed. Social Services are flawed. I suspected my grandson was being mistreated by the mothers boyfriend who would say things to the baby like "sit your punk a@@ down". I heard this while on the phone with my grandson's mother. I first called my son who is the father of the baby, and then we made steps to remove the boy from the house. The next day, my son picked up his son and refused to return him until an emergency hearing was done. He told son's mother that he would drag her name, her mothers name and anyone eles who would not step in and protect his son. To make a long story short, my grandson lives with my son, and the mother has supervised visits. But that is just one case, what happens when no on steps in for the child. Oh, this is what happens..This mother may not have been violent, she may have never been in trouble before, but the minute that man was mean to her son, that should have been a red flag..You do not chose men or anyone else over the saftey of your children. This man didn't start out hitting this baby, I am sure it started with unkind words...People, do not be afraid to pick up the phone when you think something is not right...

— just saying April 26, 2010 at 6:03 p.m.

This is the most tragic report that I have ever read. Look at this innocent, defenseless, perfect child.
May Deandre rest in peace. May God have mercy on this little boy's parents. Additionally, may his untimely death serve as a lesson to all single parents to make your first priority the welfare and protection of your children. Kids don't ask to come into this world. If they make it here, it is the duty and responsibility of the parent(s) to make sure that they are properly cared for.
That this horrible crime was allowed to happen to this precious little guy....is pitiful. It demonstrates just how depraved our society is.
Unfortunately, these crimes occur among all races. Each incident is as horrific as any other. God help us all.

— Joseph Scott March 26, 2010 at 4:14 p.m.

The Homicide Report

Deandre Green, 2 [Updated]

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39 reader comments