“Princess” Ramirez

 "Princess" Diane Ramirez

 

“Princess” Diane       

 

   Diane Ramirez at age 17 could light up any room she entered. Her beautiful heart and unique personality was rare. Her heart was just overflowing with love for everyone she came into contact with. Even though her body was confined to a wheelchair, her mind was very sharp. Princess Diane Ramirez had very big dreams for her future. She learned at a very young age how to set and achieve goals for herself. At the time of her death, Diane was working toward getting herself a California Identification Card and opening up her very first savings account. Her mother said at birth, "Princess" Diane overcame a life or death situation. And she fought and fought and inspired others as she grew and got older. So, it was seeing how inspirational Diane was to other people, even adults, and just seeing her fight as hard as she did, Angel Cadena, her mother said " Ok you deserve to have "Princess" put in front of your name, and that's how she became "Princess" Diane Ramirez.

                                        

                                         

                                    

   Miss Ramirez had big dreams of going to college, and was even considering moving out of the foster home, The Morris Small Family Home, and back with her dad, whom she adored and he adored her just as much. Diane, at age 17, was a typical teenager, especially when it came to boys. One in particular really had her eye, Jeff Miller. Jeff was the quarterback football star at Murrieta Mesa High School. Jeff took Miss Princess Diane to the high school's Spectacular Prom, and it was an honest dream come true. She was head over heels crazy for Jeff Miller. 

   Angel Cadena told reporters the reason Princess Diane was in a foster care situation because they had some financial problems, first the power was shut off at their home, and then they were evicted. People in the community reported Diane's medical equipment couldn't get charged due to no power and then no home. Angel Cadena loved Her daughter and still does.

    Like a lot of parents whose children are placed in foster care, it just isn't right for the different states to remove a child from his or her parents and put him or her somewhere even more unsafe. And a lot of times it only takes these social workers to do their jobs and get out there checking on these kids, talking with them, and spending more than ten or fifteen minutes at a time. A lot of foster kids, I was one , are scared and they need someone they can trust and that they feel safe with. 

   The way I see it is if you place a child with a family, and that family harms a single hair on that child then you are just as responsible as the abuser. It's the case worker's responsibility to enrich these kid's lives and keep them safe in the process. They are in the custody of the state not the foster parent.

Morris Small Family Home

    Before Diane "Princess" Ramirez died at Morris Small Family Home in Riverside County on April 6, 2019, there had been many complaints of neglect and abuse, both physical and sexual, by the hands of the two people that were there to care for disabled young adults and teenagers.

   Prosecutors said The Kerins physically abused and neglected many of the children and adults in their care.The Kerins allegedly engaged in numerous despicable abusive and sexual acts.  There were adults found sleeping in their own filth and not properly being cleaned. I spoke with a former resident, who wasn't comfortable sharing their name. I was told diapers were only changed twice a day, and if someone had an accident in between those times, they just had to sit in it. 

       The prosecutor said that at least three of the adult residents were sexually assaulted. Besides the horrible abuse and neglect going on there, the cleanliness was not up to standards. The hygiene Of the residents were just despicable, and not at all their faults, they were not bathed regularly or properly. Morris Small Family Home say they were staffed 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, but they didn't employ enough people for that so the residents' needs often were neglected. 

   The owners, the Kerins, did not keep proper records on their residents or their staff. There are allegations where they over billed medicaid and other state agencies. People that knew them in the community that I've spoken to actually said they heard them yell at Diane call her names, and I'm just there looking in disbelief.

   On April 6 Angel said Diane stopped breathing and was rushed to a hospital, and she passed away. The doctor who treated Diane at the hospital said that Diane actually choked to death on bile. Now she has been on a feeding tube most of her life.

   There have been numerous accounts of neglect and abuse reported. Some allegations reported include, red marks on some patients and poor care of the physically handicapped residents. Some were even complaining that duct tape was used. Most all allegations that were reported were not substantiated because all the alleged victims were non verbal.

   I emailed social services for a comment on this case and I'm still waiting on a reply. I also reached out to the DA's office, but because the case is still open they couldn't share any information with me. 

  As this case progresses I will update. For now Mrs. and Mr. Kerin have been charged each with child neglect and Mrs. Kerin with murder. I am looking forward to speaking to others involved in this case and I will update y'all as I know. 

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