In Loving Memory Of Angelina Espalin

Oceanside foster mother arrested in death of 4-year-old (December 11, 2007)

Police on Monday arrested an Oceanside woman on suspicion of first-degree murder in the death of her 4-year-old foster daughter last year, authorities said Tuesday.

Dania Haros, 23, was arrested on suspicion of causing fatal injuries to Angelina Espalin, who died Nov. 19, 2006, Oceanside police said.

Angelina suffered head injuries and was unresponsive when Haros and Haros' husband took her to Tri-City Medical Center that day. She was transferred to Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego and died that night.

Lt. Mike Goldsmith said the child was injured in the family's home the same day. Haros told investigators that Angelina had been hurt after refusing to go to bed, he said.

"(She said) it was not punishment. The child was just being a kid and not wanting to go to bed, so she put her into bed and kind of pushed her, and there were some injuries associated with that," Goldsmith said. No weapons were used in the assault, he added.

However, Angelina's injuries were later determined to be inconsistent with Haros' explanation. The county medical examiner's office ruled Angelina's death, of blunt force head trauma, a homicide, prompting a yearlong investigation, police said.

The probe ended with the arrest of Haros, who was booked into the Vista jail on suspicion of assaulting a child and first-degree murder. She is scheduled to be arraigned today, according to the county Sheriff's Department.

Police do not expect to make any other arrests, adding that Haros' husband was not involved nor present at the time of the incident, Goldsmith said.

At the time of the Angelina's death, she had been living with her 2-year-old sister at Haros' Maxson Street home, which police said had no history of complaints.

The sister, who police said was not injured, was taken from the home after Angelina died and put into protective custody in San Diego, the girls' grandmother, Pamela Espalin, said. The younger girl has since been adopted, she said.

Espalin said Tuesday that the arrest comes after "a long, long wait."

"We're trying to recover," she said of her family. "We talk about it all the time. There are anger issues, this is a hard thing."

Espalin said the girls had been put into Haros' home less than six months before Angelina's death. The girls had been in a "very stable" home with another family before, and Espalin said she and her family never received an explanation as to why they were moved into Haros' custody.

The biological family was also never able to talk to the social worker who moved the sisters, and was "lost in the system," which Espalin said is in need of "serious reform."

"I don't want this to happen to another child," she said.

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• Angelina
• Espalin
• R.I.P
• Angel
• Loving
• Memory

[steelmore]

I was Angie's foster mom before she went to the Haros home and almost every one of these photos was taken by me. She was happy and thriving in our home and we wanted to adopt her. The county decided that she would be better off in a home with no other children except her sister and they were moved there quickly. We were allowed no contact after that. I was devastated when I found out what happened to her. She is still very much loved and missed by us. We love you sweet Angie!

[PilatusPorterPC6]

Such A cute little girl. Foster parents are supposed to love and protect their children, not kill them!!! A shame!!

[brayli1234]

@steelmore yoou had her first before any of it happened i bet you wish they would have let you keep her I'm Sorry About What Happened

[scoobyandme1]

@steelmore People like you are the salt of the earth. You bring joy, hope, love and stability into the life's of the most vulnerable. Our children. I cannot imagine the pain and horror you must have felt on hearing this terrible news. From these lovely photographs, it is obvious that Angie was cherished and loved very much by you and your family. As for the Haros, DESPICABLE and COWARDLY people. I can only give thanks for the kindness and love she found in your home in her tragic, short life. xx

[SorafiLynn]

Why was she taken from her biological home in the first place?

[marielieta]

It seems that she was loved while she was living with you, Unfortunately the system made many mistakes with foster kids.

[steelmore]

@mencita760 Dania told the police what really happened. She confessed to beating her, putting her to bed and leaving her there all night. Hopefully the justice system doesn't fail Angie like the Dania did

[mencita760]

@steelmore shut tha fuck up u fucken white biches u guys dont even know wat really happened ..............................­........ i was her cousin and every little thing went right with the haros family............haha u fucken haters

[aliciaproductions1]

@steelmore awww i subbed

[steelmore]

@mencita760

What facts does the media not have straight? Seems to me they have done an excellent job of getting their facts straight and the rest of the truth will come out.

[mencita760]

Media people need to get their facts staight or just mind their own fucken business....Gosh stupid Media people