Viola Vanclief, 2 [Updated]

March 8, 2010, 11:12 a.m.

Viola Vanclief, a 2-year-old black girl, died from blunt force trauma Thursday, March 4, in the 100 block of East Gage Avenue in Florence, according to authorities.

At the time of her death Viola was in foster care. According to the coroner's report, her foster mother told authorities that Viola got trapped in a bed frame. In an attempt to free her, the foster mother said she accidentally struck the toddler with a hammer. No medical attention was immediately sought, according to the coroner's report.

Viola was later taken to California Hospital Medical Center in Downtown where she was pronounced dead at 4:26 p.m. The child had several large bruised areas on her body.

The child's foster mother, Kiana Barker, a 30-year-old black woman, and her boyfriend, James Julian, a 38-year-old black man were arrested March 9 in connection with Viola's death and were released two days later, with no charges filed. Police are continuing to investigate the couple.

-- Sarah Ardalani

[Update, Oct. 22, 2013: Kiana Barker, now 33, was convicted of second-degree murder Oct. 18 in the beating death of Vanclief.

"Justice was served," said Deputy Dist. Atty. Pak Kouch after the proceedings in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Barker faces 25 years to life in prison.]

Share a memory or thought about Viola Vanclief

Before you post, here are some answers to frequently asked questions:

Remember, all posts are approved by a Times staffer. Profanity and personal attacks will not be approved.

22 reader comments

It's a sad fact that the 'system' nationwide is flooded with neglected and abused children who need foster care. There is and always will be foster parents who have the best and the worst of intentions. It is a very sad fact, but CPS needs to be more vigilant about supervising foster care, but CPS is always "over-worked, underpaid", which equals a growing densensitized apathetic group---Then they look to the 'worse' cases, vs. the 'not so bad' cases. Well these 'not so bad' cases (children) get overlooked and foster parents take advantage and do their damage. State-funded birth control (sterilization, contraceptive, etc.) need to be offered --like free STD clinics-- to people of all socioeconomic background. Too many people who don't want kids are having them, or having them for the wrong reasons. So there are MANY children who are born unwanted, and therefore abused and discarded until they are picked up by the system, that is flooded as we speak.

— circosan Nov. 23, 2010 at 9:54 a.m.

Dear Nereida, I am so sorry you were not lucky enough to be placed with great foster parens. Before any talking a reasearch needs to be done. If foster parents were given $1000 a month per child, anybody would become a foster parent. But that is not the true. Foster parents receive money so they can be able to provide for foster kids with foods, clothing, transportation to visits, doctors, schools and all the children's needs. IF you do the math correctly $600 a month you receive for a baby becomes only $20 a day, do you think this is really a bussiness??. It takes a person with a big heart to become a foster parent. Unfortunately, there are some people who are mentally ill and have no respect and love for others. We should not generalize and blame others.

— Ross April 9, 2010 at 4:18 p.m.

Child protective services needs to inforce laws to insure the lives of this children. Many can receive a licence and be clear of any crime, but do you know the intension of becoming a foster parent(NO ONE KNOWS WHAT HAPPENS BEHIND CLOSE DOORS IN FOSTER HOME) is it do do a GOOD WILL or is it a BUSSINESS! Foster parents receive a monthly allowence of $1,000 for each children they care for. They can care for up to SIX children at a time. These children are placed in a foster care home to protect their lives but the reality of this is that they are being mentally, phycically and sexually abused by the foster care parents. The system is not organized camaras need to be installed in each room of the house this children will live in. Social workers need to ask these children how they feel they need to do more for this children. I was a former foster care child and foster parents dont care for you as they should.

— Nereida chavarria March 23, 2010 at 12:23 p.m.

7yrs ago I became a Foster Care parent w/United Care Inc. I was given a beautiful baby girl 3 months ago. After the death of Viola I received a call from the County Social Worker (CSW)advising she would be coming for house inspection. I have a lot w/2 units. The CSW said she had to inspect the 2nd unit, I said my daughter & family live there, they're at work & I dont have a key. I asked why she need to inspect this unit if the baby lived w/me. She asked if they were fingerprinted. I said my daughter is a government worker and has been fingerprinted through them, the same with her husband. She contacted her Supervisor & said everything was OK w/the house but the people in the 2nd unit were not fingerprinted. She hung up & said she was taking the baby, since we all came in contact w/the baby my daughter & fam. needed to be fingerprinted & cleared thru the agency. I told her that I've had several inspections by CSW's the past 7yrs & not once was I informed that my daughter/family who lives separately needed to be fingerprinted & her house inspected. I told her that all this information is documented in the paperwork at the agency. She said it was regulations & that when they do the inspections they assume the agency has already fingerprinted everyone. I said yes, I was advised of everyone inside my house. I asked if it was not part of her job to check the documentation the agency had & notify me if anything was missing. She did not answer. DCFS has regulations known to CSW's not me as a foster parent.
The baby's mom called that evening to ask about the baby. I informed her that the baby was no longer w/me and to contact the CSW. I received a call from the mom who said she was informed by CSW that she had taken the baby because there were 6 people in my house who were not fingerprinted & that I was not registered w/the agency. I told her, that, If I had not been registered with the agency, a CSW would not have brought the baby to my house. I am a good foster parent, I take one child at a time to give great care, provide & love at their time of need. I don't do it for the money, $600/mo is not alot to live by. I hurt for the baby because at 14mos she now has gone thru two foster homes. People wonder why children in the system feel neglected & unwanted. It's due to the laziness and uncaring ways of some County Social Workers, who do what they want & what they feel it's correct. If DCFS would check on the documentation reported to them, they would have good Foster Parents. It took them over 7yrs to tell me that my daughter & husband (2 people not 6) needed to be fingerprinted & cleared through the agency. What a shame. The one caught in the middle here was the baby. I wonder if the CSW's ever realize that by them removing the child from one foster home to the next, due to their incompetence, they are contributing to the childs trauma. DCFS please get it together!

— Minnie40 March 20, 2010 at 1:55 a.m.