Mom on psychotropicc drugs 'kept baby from breathing'

[Guest guest]

Another tragedy being blamed on " mental illness " instead of the drugs that

make people mentally ill.--

December 18, 2003

Mom 'kept baby from breathing'

By CATHY REDFERN

Sentinel STAFF WRITER

SAN JOSE - A UC Santa Cruz student charged with murdering her 4-year-old

daughter was suffering from mental illness and gave her child tea laced with

an antidepressant the night she died.

That and other details were released Wednesday by Santa Clara County

prosecutors at the arraignment of Yesenia Quevedo, 27. The arraignment was

postponed until Jan. 13, at the request of her attorney, Steve Nakano.

A medical examiner also told police the child had a mark on her face that

could have been caused from asphyxiation. Quevedo told detectives, " I kept

my beautiful baby from breathing. "

Quevedo was arrested about 6:30 a.m. Saturday, after firefighters responded

to her grandmother's Darwin Way home on a call of a child not breathing.

Xiomara Tocalino was pronounced dead by paramedics. It was her fourth

birthday.

Her mother remains jailed without bail at Santa Clara County Jail in the

psychiatric unit.

Quevedo's family and friends attended the hearing. A family spokesman,

Victor , appealed to reporters to leave the family in peace, saying

they need space to heal from the " double tragedy. "

Asked if he thought mental health professionals had failed Quevedo, who was

released from psychiatric treatment two days before her arrest, he replied

he thought " circumstances speak for themselves. "

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According to police, Quevedo had been hospitalized at Stanford Medical

Center from Dec. 6 to 11, two days before her arrest. She was given

anti-psychotic medication, including the drug trazadone, an antidepressant

prescribed to help her sleep. Quevedo told a detective she put three 50 mg

pills in tea she gave to her daughter about 7 p.m. Friday.

The child had a fever and had been fussy, Quevedo told police. She gave her

Tylenol, rice, beans and the tea and she fell asleep about 8 p.m. Quevedo

realized her child had stopped breathing about 9:45 p.m. She didn't tell her

mother until about 6 a.m. the following morning.

Asked why she didn't tell anyone sooner, Quevedo replied that she " wanted to

sleep with her and keep her warm and comfy. "

Later, an officer overheard her say she had to take responsibility for what

she did.

Dr. of the Coroner's Office told police that an overdose of the

drug can cause death. Blood tests are pending and a cause of death has not

been determined. also reported purplish discoloration on the child's

face, which could indicate a " compression type of asphyxia, " but could have

other causes. There were no signs of physical trauma on the body.

Quevedo told police she began suffering from depression when she started

school at UC Santa Cruz in 1999. She began seeing a psychiatrist in

September and was diagnosed with major depressive disorder with psychotic

tendencies. Her family arranged for her hospitalization last week when she

drove with her daughter to Guernville, north of San Francisco, to escape

from people she thought were following her.

Stanford psychiatrist Lembke told police Quevedo was released because

she was feeling better and didn't feel like hurting herself and that she

never displayed thoughts of hurting her child.

Quevedo faces 25 years to life if convicted of murder, he said.

Tocalino, the child's father, told police Quevedo tried to kill

herself in October, believing her death would keep people from harming her

daughter.

Tocalino of Santa Cruz said he and Quevedo broke up about a year ago, after

dating for five years, and that she had been " acting crazy " since. The pair

remained friends and shared custody of their daughter, he said, adding that

she was a good mother.

Co-workers of Tocalino have opened a trust fund in the name of Xiomara

Tocalino to help with burial and other expenses. A memorial is scheduled for

later this week.

Donations may be taken to any branch of Washington Mutual Bank, Account No.

0924439476.

Contact Redfern at credfern@....

[Guest guest]

Hi ;

I certainly don't condone suchthings. but i think i can understand. The

absolute isolation of the seveerely mentally ill is total. There is no

help out there at all. Desperate people who don't understand themselves

or anyone else, and alone to battle at best. Told and dictated to at

worst in the name of " therapy " and " treatment " . One is not a person, one

is schiz or bipolar or whatever. What do they ask for when you beg for

counseling: 1. insurance; 2: diagnosis; 3> you are a schedule so and so

so i can't see you if you are not on drugs. I said i'd pay my own

therapy. What did they ask: 1. inusrance 2. diagnosis-- i slammed down

the phone on the christian counselor. That is what mental illness gets

you. No way out. A death sentence. imho.

On a brighter note, one year ago i was begging for geodon. Today was

the first day in my life i experienced total peace within myself even

though i'm up to the hilt in bills and problems. I may be a basket case

tomorrow but peace right now. Thanks . It was and started

because you cared. janet