American parents of California arrested for starving their adopted son to death and harming other children
Kimberly and Cory Blakley accused of killing their 9-year-old adopted son, neighbor not surprised
By Edward Era Barbacena
When it comes to the death of a child, nothing can be much worse if the perpetrators are actually the parents. United States has so many cases of such insane murders. Off course, the usual suspects are white people.
Two parents who are white as usual in Roseville have been arrested for abusing and killing the 9-year-old boy they adopted.
It came as a surprise to most of the neighbors who lived on New England Drive, but one neighbor who did not want to be identified said she heard the alleged verbal abuse.
That neighbor told CBS13 that Kimberly and Cory Blakley had seven children in total, including several children who were adopted in August.
They were often seen playing outside on their bikes with other neighborhood kids.
"The neighborhood feels like they were the perfect family. That Kim was a great mom, but reality is the front yard mom, was the exact opposite of backyard mom," said one neighbor who lived near the family. "There was always beating on the walls, beating on the windows.
The neighbor said she called the police once about the parents just a few weeks ago when one of the youngest girls was locked out of the home on the back porch on a cold, rainy night.
"She was screaming and crying saying please help me, please let me in," said the neighbor. "So my daughter and I looked through the fence and she was completely naked."
"She was screaming and crying saying please help me, please let me in," said the neighbor. "So my daughter and I looked through the fence and she was completely naked."
Police could not confirm if there had been more calls besides the medical call on Feb. 2 when they found the 9-year-old unresponsive. He died in the hospital days later.
"It doesn't mean just because the child had injuries or even had injuries over a period of time that the parents meant to kill the child," said attorney Jennifer Mouzis.
Mouzis told CBS13 prosecution needs to prove that the parents meant to kill the child and if they were the ones who made the medical call, it may be hard to prove. No intent to kill means the adoptive parents could face about six years in state prison, versus 25 years to life.
"When they first got him he didn't know how to ride a bike so it was fun watching him, and Cory would work with him," said the neighbor.
"When they first got him he didn't know how to ride a bike so it was fun watching him, and Cory would work with him," said the neighbor.
Although, the little boy's age plays a big part in the prosecution. Mouzis said under California state law, if the child had been 8 years old or younger, prosecutors would have been able to get the parents the maximum sentence without proving they meant to kill the child.
"You just don't know what goes on behind someone's doors," said the neighbor. "When you discipline children you raise your voice but you do not scream in their face, there's a difference.
Both parents are currently behind bars at the Placer County Jail. They will be in court Friday for their arraignment.
CBS13 also reached out to the Department of Social Services to learn more about the process of becoming an adoptive parent and it provided the following statement:
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