Web-posted Friday, February 29, 2008

Spokesman says agency handled case appropriately

By Dan Packard
dan.packard@amarillo.com

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services in December investigated the home life of 7-year-old William Weschke, who died Wednesday after spending nearly two weeks on life support at Northwest Texas Hospital.

"We had a case on the family back in December," said Greg Cunningham, public information officer for Family and Protective Services. "It was handled appropriately and was in the process of being resolved when the latest incident happened."

The incident occurred Feb. 14 when William was taken to the hospital with severe head injuries after he reportedly slipped while getting out of a bathtub.

Jason Mills, 19, was arrested and booked into the Randall County Jail that day on a first-degree felony charge of injury to a child.

Police allege Mills, a boyfriend of William's mother, 29-year-old Sondra Weschke, assaulted the boy, and failure to seek medical aid in a timely manner complicated the injuries.

Mills remains in custody on a $250,000 bond. Mills has no record of prior charges in Potter or Randall counties.

Randall County Criminal District Attorney James Farren on Thursday said he expects the charge to be upgraded to homicide after investigators receive results from an autopsy scheduled to be performed today in Lubbock.

"We anticipate presenting a case for homicide to a grand jury if the autopsy confirms he died of blunt-force trauma, which I believe it will," Farren said.

Cunningham said his department can release little information about its investigation into the Weschkes' household.

"There's still a legal investigation going on, and (court officials) have asked us to withhold some information so we don't jeopardize their investigation, and we're going to go along with that," he said.

Cunningham said he can release more information after an adversarial hearing scheduled for Wednesday during which William's mother will present her case for retaining parental rights to her other son, who is 6 years old. Child Protective Services has had custody of the 6-year-old since Feb. 14, Cunningham said.

Attempts to contact William's mother at her home in the Lakeview Mobile Home Park, 7865 Canyon Drive, were unsuccessful Thursday.

William was a first-grade student at Western Plateau Elementary School and previously attended South Lawn Elementary, said Paula Ward, director of guidance and counseling for the Amarillo Independent School District.

Ward said the district's trauma team, comprising trained counselors, appeared at both schools Thursday to offer counseling for grieving students.

"Several students who knew him well or went to day care after school with him seemed to be the most affected," Ward said.

Ward said the trauma team, which she oversees, will be available to students as long as it is needed.

"I haven't talked to teachers, but I've talked to his principals and counselors," she said. "They said he was just precious. Just precious. They said he was just a great kid."

The death of William, who remained on life support during his time in the hospital, "just breaks my heart, and I hope someone is brought to justice," Ward said.

http://www.amarillo.com/stories/022908/new_9728976.shtml

Emphasis added by H4K Editor