Kierra Harrison Foundation

Abbey Clements

4 months

Non Survivor

Charge in infant death last month prompts reopening of 1992 case
HOUSTON CHRONICLE ARCHIVES

Paper: Houston Chronicle
Date: SAT 03/07/98

By S.K. BARDWELL
Staff

A baby sitter has been charged in connection with the fatal injury last month of an infant in her care, prompting police to take a second look at the death six years ago of another infant in the same woman's care.

Charged Thursday with felony injury to a child, 42-year-old Cynthia Suzanne Cash remained jailed Friday in lieu of a $20,000 bail. Four-month-old Abbey Clements was one of the children being cared for by Cash in the 9300 block of Spellman on Feb. 17, when the baby lost consciousness and was rushed to Texas Children's Hospital. The tiny girl died two days later of injuries consistent with "shaken baby syndrome," authorities said.

Cash has operated a registered child-care facility at her southwest Houston home for at least 10 years, according to records at the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulatory Services. Jan Martin , program services coordinator for the Houston office, said the registered home is not currently in operation. Records showed that a 3 -month-old died while in Cash's care at the same home on Aug. 11, 1992. The Harris County Medical Examiner's Office ruled that the death was caused by Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Police acknowledged Friday that case is being reopened, but declined to elaborate on the investigation.

Since the 1992 death, Martin said three complaints have been received about Cash's facility, two of which the agency was unable to verify. The most recent complaint was received in January 1997, she said. The agency did cite Cash in 1995 for leaving two children together in a room without supervision, Martin said. A complaint was received about the incident after the oldest of the two toddlers apparently fell on the younger, who was treated for bruises and scrapes.