By Christina Siderius
Seattle Times staff reporter
Sirita Sotelo, 4, was beaten to death by her stepmother.
A state-dependent child since birth, 4-year-old Sirita Sotelo had been in her biological father's custody for only two months when she was beaten to death by his wife at their Lake Stevens home in January.
That death prompted an independent investigation by the Office of the Family and Children's Ombudsman (OFCO), which yesterday released a review criticizing the state Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) for not adequately monitoring Sirita once she was in her father's home.
The office, which looks into deaths of children under the care of Child Protective Services, recommended the children's division be more careful when a child is returned to his or her biological parent by increasing regular health and safety checks and assessment of the stepparents in the home, said Mary Meinig, director ombudsman.
"Regular home checks didn't take place," she said. "They really need to follow the policy."
DCFS policy requires twice-a-month contact with a young child during the first 120 days he or she is placed in a home, with monthly visits after that.
Sirita, a dependent of the state since she tested positive for cocaine at birth, went to live with her biological father, John Ewell, in November 2003 after the state tried unsuccessfully to reunite the girl with her mother.
However, Sirita received no health or safety checks from a caseworker from May 2004 to November 2004 while she was staying at her father's home and still under DCFS supervision, according to the ombudsman review. In November 2004, he gained custody of her from the state.
Two months later, his wife, Heather Ewell, threw the girl into a cold shower and beat her, fracturing her skull and severing her liver. The stepmother was sentenced to 8-½ years in prison in her death.
Gia Wesley, regional administrator for DCFS, said this case may change the way stepparents are assessed when a child is placed in their home.
The division now can legally require biological parents be evaluated and get background checks, but not stepparents, she said.
"I think that there will be some things on the horizon that will definitely help," Wesley said. "Although, it's difficult to completely prevent these kinds of situations, which are very tragic."
Christina Siderius: 206-515-5066 or csiderius@seattletimes.com