JOHNSTOWN, Colo. – Two teens have been charged with killing a 7-year-old girl by beating her with imitations of moves from the “Mortal KombatMortal Kombat reviews
” video game. Lamar Roberts, 17, and Heather Trujillo, 16, were charged as adults on one count each of felony child abuse causing death. The teens were baby-sitting Trujillo’s half-sister, Zoe Garcia, 7, on Dec. 6 while the girl’s mother was at work. Zoe lost consciousness and stopped breathing after the teens hit, kicked and body-slammed her, imitating moves used in the video game, Mortal Kombat. An autopsy showed she had a broken wrist, more than 20 bruises, swelling of the brain, and bleeding in her neck muscles and under her spine. According to the affidavit, when the witness asked why they didn’t stop, he responded, “I don’t know; I was drunk.” If convicted, the teens could be sentenced to 48 years in prison.
3:29 pm on December 20th, 2007
All I can think of when I look at these kids is: STUPID. I see no malice, but who knows? You can’t tell much from mugshots.
Seriously, these kids are just plain stupid. 7 year olds are not that big. These kids had some size on that little girl. What idiots. Now they get to pay for the rest of their lives.
3:33 pm on December 20th, 2007
Yes, Kathy, I don’t think there was malice, either. They tried to revive her with cold water and by administering CPR, and called the mom and 911. I don’t think they were trying to kill her, and clearly they tried to fix what they’d done. They wanted to bounce her around a bit, as big sibs are sometimes inclined to do.
S-T-U-P-I-D-I-T-Y is the name of the game, I fear….
4:20 pm on December 20th, 2007
Oh, c’mon, ladies! I think you’re giving these kids a little too much slack. Are they stupid? Intensely. But there’s more to it than that. They may not have meant to KILL the child, but there’s absolutely malice, here. When a young child is screaming, crying and obviously beaten, and you continue to beat her, it’s because you WANT to hurt her. That’s malice. This wasn’t a fine line that was crossed, or simply a little too much friendly rough-housing…This was two near adults BEATING a 7 year old.
…and I’ve got NO problem with them being sentenced as adults. Throw the fucking book at these wastes of skin. At least keep the locked up until their past the age of reproductive capability.
4:31 pm on December 20th, 2007
“Oh, c’mon, ladies! I think you’re giving these kids a little too much slack. Are they stupid? Intensely. But there’s more to it than that. They may not have meant to KILL the child, but there’s absolutely malice, here. ”
Athena, AMEN! You and I actually agree, it’s a miracle! This is extremly malicious
4:37 pm on December 20th, 2007
No seriously, I think these kids are just plain stupid. Dumber than a box of rocks. I’m not saying they weren’t being mean to the child or hurting her, I’m saying that they probably did not realize that what they were doing could result in her death.
I also never said that they shouldn’t be punished to the fullest extent of the law. IMO , these dumbasses were clueless as to the amount of force they may have been using with this child. they didn’t cover it up and they tried to remedy the situation. It was probably then that they had that “Oh shit!” moment. Like I said before, it’s too late now, they get to pay for it for the rest of their lives.
4:45 pm on December 20th, 2007
They need to send that Heather chick to my house…let me check the age of consent laws….in one more year! I’ll be more than happy to punish her. Severely. I’ll make tears come out of BOTH eyes.
I’m kidding! They could send her now.
4:50 pm on December 20th, 2007
Damn Morbid! She doesn’t look a day over 14. Isn’t that at least a YEAR older than you usually like them?
4:55 pm on December 20th, 2007
I make exceptions for young females who look lonely, vulnerable and scared. Bonus points for tears. Sweet, sweet tears.
The fact that she body-slammed her sister to death adds a little of that “I’m dangerous…and naughty!” element into the mix.
4:58 pm on December 20th, 2007
sorry, but even if they are dumb, even if they are drunk… you have to be inhumane to torture a 7 yr old like that and “not realize” how serious it was. their attempts to reviver her? imo, a “holy shit we are in trouble” moment…nothing more!
5:01 pm on December 20th, 2007
Well, you are dealing with a 16-year-old girl and a guy whose cranial capacity looks extremely disproportional. Seriously, I’m I the only one who has noticed that his head from the middle of his nose looks…looks…inflated? Not wanting to turn this into any type of picking on mugshots type of thing, but damn!
5:05 pm on December 20th, 2007
“Seriously, I’m I the only one who has noticed that his head from the middle of his nose looks…looks…inflated?”
Umm, no. Its the first thing I saw, I just didn’t want to go there.
But yeah, it looks like someone sawed the top of his skull off and it healed over.
5:07 pm on December 20th, 2007
i thought it looked the top was pinched pushing everything downward… thank god you brought it up 1st…lmao
5:15 pm on December 20th, 2007
What about the whole “they put a raw egg in her mouth to make sure she wasn’t messing with them”? How fucking cruel. Lock them up and throw away the key. And I mean it, nothing will change my mind on this one
5:25 pm on December 20th, 2007
Here, I was in a hurry, but I fixed him…sort of…
5:26 pm on December 20th, 2007
Wow, Morbid. That IS an improvement. I’d love to see what you could do when you aren’t in such a rush! LOL
5:26 pm on December 20th, 2007
“What about the whole “they put a raw egg in her mouth to make sure she wasn’t messing with themâ€? ”
I hadn’t read that part, but it just shows me even more how stupid they were and how they really didn’t know how badly they were hurting her. I mean, come one, who does shit like that? Who would think someone was “messing with them?” Children.
Again, just because I think they are clueless, stupid, of below average intelligence, etc. it doesn’t mean I am excusing them. They should be punished.
5:27 pm on December 20th, 2007
LOL Morbid! I think he just gained a few IQ points…
5:31 pm on December 20th, 2007
Raw egg? Where’d you read that? It wasn’t mentioned in Morbid’s original post, nor in the article I read on CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/law/12/20/mortal.kombat.ap/index.html
Sounds like you have more info on this one than I do, Solange. Spill it…
5:37 pm on December 20th, 2007
Here’s a bit more info – unfortunately from my hometown.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/dec/20/teens-held-girls-mortal-kombat-death/
5:37 pm on December 20th, 2007
Haha, Ruby, Ill find it, I know I read it. It was the same info, but with that additional info. Give me a couple minutes…
5:39 pm on December 20th, 2007
“The witness said Roberts performed a back kick and the girl didn’t get up. He said he and Trujillo “cracked an egg in her mouth . . . in an attempt to see if she was messing around with them” by faking unconsciousness.”
It is in the link pms247 just posted above
6:16 pm on December 20th, 2007
Fuckin retarded, both of them. They look like their mothers did mind altering substances when they were in the womb. A complete waste…
7:21 pm on December 20th, 2007
OK, I just searched around and found some info from local papers which quote a neighbor as saying she knew this kid was being abused (ongoing) and had reported it. She babysat for them several times (apparently,there’s younger kids in the house, too), and noticed bad bruises on Zoe. She asked about them, and Zoe said she’d fallen down the stairs. The next time she saw her, there were new, different bruises. So she asked Zoe again, and this time, she was told that Lamar was beating on her. So this woman claims she took the next day OFF from work and went downtown to report the abuse. She says she heard nothing further.
Man, if this is all true, it’s got to be on record, and I say someone is in DEEP doo-doo.
I take back what I said about not being malicious.
7:32 pm on December 20th, 2007
“Seriously, I’m I the only one who has noticed that his head from the middle of his nose looks…looks…inflated? Not wanting to turn this into any type of picking on mugshots type of thing, but damn!”
Yeah. He’s another pinhead wannabe.
7:47 pm on December 20th, 2007
“Man, if this is all true, it’s got to be on record, and I say someone is in DEEP doo-doo.”
I tell you, this directly relates to my thread in the forums about this. I ask if it’s better to always report suspected abuse whether you’re sure or not, or to report abuse when it’s comfirmed (as it obviously was in this case). Erring on the side of caution is a good idea in lots of cases, but it floods CPS with bogus calls they’re forced to investigate, diluting the resources and guaranteeing that legitimate cases of abuse fall through the cracks.
8:06 pm on December 20th, 2007
Athena, I see your point, but are we sure that the reason these cases fall through the cracks is because of them being flooded with calls? Not saying it isn’t, but I remember in the Rylia Wilson case the case worker was falsifying reports and time sheets so that she could get paid to do nothing. And let’s not forget the whole “keeping families together is the first prioty” motto, which means in many cases “even if the kids continue to be abused”. I think that too many calls contribute to the problem, but I have a feeling that it’s not the main factor.
8:11 pm on December 20th, 2007
Mortal Kombat?! Really? Who the fuck still imitates Mortal Kombat? this guys were younger than the dead kid when the last non sucky MK sequel came about. No wonder they wear playing bash the sister instead of playing their outdated games.
8:14 pm on December 20th, 2007
Oh, it’s not ALWAYS due to case load, but that is the most commonly cited reason. Having been harassed my the CPS myself, and having known case workers over the years, the CPS just doesn’t have the resources to keep up on every tip they receive. I don’t the the CPS commonly intentionally ignores or discredits allegations of abuse. I do tend to think overworked case workers tend to miss things, though, or don’t have the time to follow up in a timely manner.
8:31 pm on December 20th, 2007
That’s a shame then. I wish there was a way to funnel more money and resources into this other things
8:32 pm on December 20th, 2007
instead of other things, i mean
8:33 pm on December 20th, 2007
I do too…But it’s tough. It’s a damn worthy cause – I’d happily allocate more of my money to it.
9:57 pm on December 20th, 2007
I knew you’d find this incident interesting, Morbid. My hubbie’s played MC and he was the one who told me about this shit, this morning. These two kids are fucking crazy brats. Unbelievable that they did this.
I would love to know about reports of prior abuse.
Athena, in this case, trying them as adults seems appropriate. It wasn’t like one of them dropped kicked her and she got hurt and died….these two beat her ass, and knew they were and seemed to get off on hurting her. Malicious little people is a good word for those two. The girl with the tear hanging out of her eye looks damn pathetic, bet she’s sorry now.
10:34 pm on December 20th, 2007
there are good and bad sw’s out there. I knew of one that would hand out her card to all of her kids and tell them they could call “anytime!” The number was wrong. Kids would call her and she never answered. then there are those like my dad that couldnt sleep at night with worry about all the kids under his care. they are overburdened/overworked but the more you care the harder you work.
11:39 pm on December 20th, 2007
RIP, little girl. Death may have been your friend. What kind of a life must have been going on in that house?
6:07 am on December 21st, 2007
bad choice of words by Mom (Dana)
“She was my sidekick, I took her with me everywhere.” Trujillo said.
There is a video on this page http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/14891317/detail.html
Note: Two twins were inside the home as well. Police said they were removed and are now in the custody of protective services. Does anyone know the ages or if they have been reunited with family?
A witness (not named) told … Robert said (hear say) I wonder who the witness is ?
I don’t understand why either or both teens had excess to alcohol-
6:10 am on December 21st, 2007
advidavit: http://www.thedenverchannel.com/download/2007/1220/14894051.pdf
Picture of Zoe and memorial (respective) site :
http://www.respectance.com/zoegarcia
6:56 am on December 21st, 2007
this is interesting in the advadavit, officer said, Robert said he was downstairs in HIS room playing. – ( 16 with a live in b/f at her mothers house ? ) Craziness!!! sorry to those of you that think this is ok. white black yellow I don’t care what color I disagre with parents that allow this to go on! I don’t even believe at that age there should an overnight.
Robert took the twins to 36 yr old “TEX” aka Daniel Roberts (possible his father or uncle) does not say His mother’s name is Linda Clark.
Witness Janee Cardenes (16) does NOT say when the conversation took place or if she was also there or if she is a friend, relative or neighbor. He later text msg Dana and said he wanted to talk in person and explained his side of the story to her.
According to the ex firefighter Dan Herrera (47) who was at the bar that gave Dana a ride home (He says he called 911 and gave CPR) state there were particularities that he had experienced before – Lamar was not answering questions he was only interested in leaving the scene.
Heathers Mom Dana just turned 30 has a 16 yr old
mom works nights at the Corral Bar
I’m thinking she doesn’t drive, as she got a ride home
8:35 am on December 21st, 2007
http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071219/UPDATES01/71219023
Zoe’s father, Anthony Garcia, told 9News. “It’s still too much.â€
Garcia, who lives in California, hadn’t seen Zoe in three years but said she was a happy little girl. Garcia came to Colorado after learning of his daughter’s death.
“She was a little angel,†Garcia told 9News.
Peggy Jeffries, the grandmother of Zoe and Trujillo’s twin half-sisters, said she’d long had concerns about the kids’ safety at home but report it because she didn’t want to get her son in trouble.
One sign surfaced when Zoe’s teacher told Jeffries that Zoe had bruises on her chest and arms, something Jeffries saw for herself.
“Zoe said it was Lamar (Roberts),†Jeffries told 9News.
Jeffries said she finally contacted social services not long before Zoe died, landing her son in jail, but said her efforts came too late.
* peggy is Anthony’s mother ? anyone know why he was jailed ? child support maybe ? Was it she furished his whereabout / address ?
8:37 am on December 21st, 2007
by the way where do these headlines come from “Finish Her!” ?
8:52 am on December 21st, 2007
You obviously have never played the games.
8:53 am on December 21st, 2007
No Wonder. Peggy can’t be Anthony’s mother, as Anthony lives in California and hasn’t seen Zoe in THREE YEARS (way to go, Dad — NOT). Anyway, the article says that after Peggy made the report of abuse, her son was arrested, so this is not Anthony. I presume it’s the step-dad, whoever that may be. The current man of the house. But it sounds like Lamar (who lived in the home) was the source of the problem.
9:41 am on December 21st, 2007
aww ok Morbid – no thx I remember my sons 5th birthday sleep over and all the boys were roudy doing the power ranger thing thats can get ugly.
Ruby what does that have to do with anthony living in california
sound like to me zoe and the twin girls are fathered by anthony where does it say Dana has a live in b/f
the last link in post 36 – shows words from Zoe’s aunt who stated that Zoe spent alot of time with her the first 4 years of her life… which leave the last 3 as being estranged ?
Well I think peggy jeffies is anthony’s mother otherwise how could she be a grandmother without being a grandmother to Heather Trujillo as well.
Well it looks like the school reported it to the biological grandmother who shared in some of the parenting. Mom worked late nights in a bar and slept days. Her worries were if she reported abuse and the kids were taking away she would have to contact him or reveal his whereabouts. An just maybe he was wanted for some crime he did or not paying support that he went to Calf.
9:48 am on December 21st, 2007
Wonder,
I read the article as saying that Peggy’s son was arrested for the abuse once she reported it (recently), which is why I figured it couldn’t be Anthony if he hasn’t seen the kid in 3 years.
In reading your comments, I suppose it’s possible he was arrested for something else once his whereabouts became known.
10:10 am on December 21st, 2007
The documents go on to say that “Lamar body-slammed Zoe, kicked her in the chest, then kicked her again and again, punched her in the stomach and slapped her in the face.”
In the end, the autopsy revealed “more than 20 bruises on Zoe’s body, a broken wrist and bruising and swelling to the brain.”
Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck said he vows to bring justice to lthe child. “We will put our best prosecutors on it, I know the Police Department will work this case vigorously, and we will work to make sure justice is done,” he said.
Zoe Garcia’s mother was at work at the time this all happened. Her two other children, infant twins, are now in the custody of social services.
For now…at least the twins are safe.
10:14 am on December 21st, 2007
Anthony Garcia and Dana Trujillo had two children, Zoe and Ariana. Trujillo left with Zoe prompting a warrant for her on April 20, 2004, charging her with abandonment and abuse of a child. This warrant is still active. The father has been trying to find them ever since.
Heather Trujillo is Dana’s biological daughter from a different man
Trujillo has a son with another man who lives in Mexico, no word on if he is also the father of Heather.
Trujillo has twins daughters with the live-in boyfriend.
Peggy is the mother of Dana’s live-in boyfriend
10:18 am on December 21st, 2007
That girl, Dana gets around!!! Damn, she’s been a busy bee.
10:34 am on December 21st, 2007
So, the mom, Dana, booked out of California with Zoe, but left another daughter, Ariana? That must have done a number to Ariana’s self-esteem! It sounds like Anthony was a decent, caring father.
10:46 am on December 21st, 2007
So, 6 kids with 3 baby daddies.
And with 3 adults living in the household, not one of them was there when this happened?
Sounds like another child dead because of negligent parents.
11:38 am on December 21st, 2007
Hey, doesn’t anyone find it funny that the Mortal Kombat part of this story is being emphasized in the media so greatly and NOT the fact that there was evidence of prior abuse and these teens were under the influence of alcohol?
Sensationalism at its finest.
11:57 am on December 21st, 2007
Oh, absolutely, Kathy. It’s so much easier to focus on the external “inspiration” rather than a lack of discipline and supervision, the REAL cause of this situation.
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