The Weld County District Attorney said today he is dismissing the case against 45-year-old Genevieve Barea, who was accused of causing the death of her 7-year-old niece — LoReyna Barea.
Genevieve Barea was facing a charge of child abuse resulting in death. LoReyna died Marcy 9, 2007 — while in her aunt’s care — of blunt force trauma and acute dehydration.
LoReyna’s death is one of several investigated recently by the state Department of Human Services. The agency looked into 13 cases of child death in Colorado and found that systems set up by counties to protect children were lacking.
Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck decided to dismiss the charge against Genevieve Barea after a jury in March found her husband — 47-year-old Dan Partch — not guilty of the same charge.
“The District Attorney’s office has concluded that there is not a reasonable likelihood of conviction at trial and therefore we have an ethical obligation to dismiss the charge in this matter,” said DA spokeswoman Jennifer Finch.
LoReyna Barea had more than 40 bruises at the time of her death and weighed 35 pounds, according to coroner reports.
Prosecutors argued in Partch’s trial that he did nothing to help LoReyna get medical help. But his defense lawyers contended that LoReyna hurt herself in a bike accident and would often throw herself against the wall or down the stairs.
LoReyna, they argued, also had the flu at the time of her death.
