Apr 16, 2008 10:38 pm US/Central

GARLAND (CBS 11 News) ― Parents of a 10-month-old girl want to know the cause of her death. Zoe Arriaga of Garland died last Thursday while in the care of a foster family.

Zoe was born with a genetic disorder called Trisomy Eight. She was able to breathe and eat with help from two different kinds of tubes. She required around-the-clock care.

On April 4, her parents, Urbano Arriaga and Juana Mireles, say they noticed Zoe's right arm was swollen, and she appeared to be in pain. In the last month, Zoe's parents say she visited the doctor nine times. But the pediatrician found nothing.

The parents then took her to Children's Medical Center in Dallas. According to a report, doctors found Zoe had a number of fractures in her arm, shoulder and leg.

CPS officials say she was physically abused before she went into the hospital. The report stated, "The injuries are unexplained and have nothing to do with Zoe's pervious medical condition."

Zoe and her four-year-old brother, Chris, were removed from their parent's custody. Arriaga urged CPS to keep the child in the hospital if the foster home found for Zoe was not equipped to handle a child with Trisomy Eight.

Six days later, while in foster care, Zoe died. The cause of her death is unknown. The medical examiner has not yet determined the cause of Zoe's death.

A funeral for Zoe was held Sunday. Her parents say Chris doesn't know what happened to his sister.

Arriaga and Mireles are scheduled to visit their son Thursday. It will be their first visit since he was taken from them.

A hearing will be held on Tuesday in juvenile court. The parent's attorney said he will provide witnesses to testify that the couple didn't hurt their daughter.

According to attorney Antonio Olver, Jr., "CPS committed two very big mistakes. One is jumping to conclusions and thinking that my clients would have hurt this child and the other is in placing her at a place where she was not secure, where she was not safe."

Another investigation is taking place into the foster family.

Inside their home, Zoe's parents continue to pray in a corner dedicated to their daughter. They say they never abused their child.

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http://cbs11tv.com/local/foster.child.death.2.701787.html

Emphasis added by H4K Editor