KRDO13 Investigates: Drowning death of 9-year-old southern Colorado girl under investigation by CBI
LA JUNTA, Colo. (KRDO) - The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is reviewing the death of a 9-year-old La Junta girl whose parents say they still do not understand how she drowned in a small backyard pool.
Genesis Mondragon’s family remembers her as a strong swimmer who loved pink, princesses and volleyball.
In June, Genesis’s mother, Shanice Lopez, said she dropped Genesis off at a relative’s home in La Junta. A few hours later, Lopez received a call telling her to get to the hospital.
"I didn’t know what was going on until I got to the hospital," Lopez said. "And that’s when we found out she ... drowned."
Genesis was flown from a local hospital to Children’s Hospital Colorado in Colorado Springs. She never regained consciousness and was declared brain-dead 10 days later.
An autopsy report says Genesis was in cardiac arrest for an estimated 18 to 59 minutes before regaining a pulse. The report does not say how long she was underwater.
The medical examiner determined Genesis died from drowning and ruled her death an accident. However, her father, Alfred Mondragon, said the ruling does not answer the family’s questions.
"How long was she in there before they noticed that she’s not coming up?" Mondragon asked. "Why was nobody out there watching her?"
Family questions local police investigation
Genesis’s parents said they have heard conflicting accounts about what happened before she was found. They also said they have been unable to obtain police records or even get a meeting with the La Junta Police Department or the 16th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
"Our hands are empty," Mondragon said. "We don’t have anything. Nothing - not even a grain of anything. Nobody has said anything to us."
KRDO13 Investigates attempted to contact the adult who was supervising the 9-year-old that day by phone and then went to the home where Genesis’s family says she was found unresponsive.
A woman at the home refused to answer questions, slammed the door and later warned, "The dogs will attack," as dogs could be heard growling.
KRDO13 Investigates also requested records from the La Junta Police Department. The department did not provide them, saying the case is now with CBI. The police chief also declined an interview and did not answer any of KRDO13 Investigates questions about the case.
The District Attorney’s Office asked CBI to become involved after the family’s attorney raised concerns about the local investigation and the family connection to the La Junta mayor. CBI has not said whether it considers the case a criminal investigation.
Mayor denies involvement
La Junta Mayor Joe Ayala called Genesis’s death a tragedy, but said his family connection did not affect the investigation.
"I had no involvement in this investigation and did not communicate with law enforcement regarding the investigation or its outcome," Ayala said in a written statement to KRDO13 Investigates.
La Junta operates under a council-manager form of government. The mayor serves on the City Council, which oversees the city manager. The city manager oversees the police chief.
The family’s attorney, Eric Faddis, alleges the relationship may have affected how the case was handled.
"I have concerns that they are protecting the supervisor, all because of the relationship with the mayor," Faddis said. "And I have concerns about the diligence of the investigation."
As of this publication, no charges have been filed in connection with Genesis’s death. CBI has not provided a timeline for completing its work.
For Genesis’s parents, the wait for answers has stretched from 10 days at their daughter’s hospital bedside to her funeral and now into a new school year without her."
"She missed her first day of school," Mondragon said. "I didn’t get to shop for school clothes for my daughter. I had to shop for clothes for her funeral."
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