Deborah Conklin was a member of Kaiden's extended family and saw him nearly every day of his life. She called herself his "grammy" and is described as a family member in a state file of Kaiden's case.
Despite her concerns, as well as caseworkers' questions about a psychologist's report and a parent's troubled past, Kaiden was returned to the home where authorities say he was deliberately killed.
"Grammy loves you," she used to coo affectionately.
Now she visits a cold grave and promises that someone will be held accountable.
"Someone dropped the ball," she said.
When Kaiden was alive, Deborah would put him to sleep at night, calling him her little prince.
Now she says "night, night" to a Facebook account she set up for the infant. He has 184 followers who view photos of him, leave encouraging notes to Deborah and inquire about updates in the murder case against the woman who gave Kaiden life and then, police say, took it away.
Kaiden's heart stopped Oct. 5.
"They should've listened to me more," Deborah said of Children's Division caseworkers.
Deborah said -- and state documents support -- that she repeatedly asked caseworkers to step in.
Shocking in hindsight, her concerns are documented in caseworkers' reports filed a few weeks before the baby's death.
Social worker Isabella Escudero was investigating a report of abuse to Kaiden when Deborah spoke with her.
"Mrs. Conklin stopped me as I began to walk away and asked, 'Promise me you will not let this baby die.' "
Escudero responded: "(I) told her that it is the job of Children's Division to keep children safe to the best of our ability and to work with the parents to help provide for their children," a report of the encounter said.
Kaiden stayed with Deborah that night, Sept. 22, so caseworkers could continue to investigate the allegations. He remained in Deborah's care for 12 days while his mother, Tatianna Light, underwent a drug test and psychological evaluation.
There was no physical evidence of abuse. The drug test came back negative and the psychologist gave the verbal OK for Kaiden to be returned home.
He left Deborah's house that night, never to return. It was the last time Deborah saw him alive.
"I hear all the time that I have to let go of my anger. I can't, I tried very hard to protect him. I just wasn't loud enough," Deborah writes on Kaiden's Facebook page.
A spokeswoman with the Children's Division said the agency did all it could under the rules it is governed by.
"We must follow the law. The law requires that there must be evidence of abuse or neglect, or the child must be in imminent danger. Other than that, when we have concerns, all we can do is offer voluntary services," said Arleasha Mays, assistant communications director for the Department of Social Services.
She said Children's Division staff never found any evidence that would be enough to get Kaiden taken.
After a few weeks of investigation and despite documented concerns, Kaiden was returned to Tatianna Light the night of Oct. 4.
He would be dead before the next sunset.
There was no physical evidence of abuse. The drug test came back negative and the psychologist gave the verbal OK for Kaiden to be returned home.
He left Deborah's house that night, never to return. It was the last time Deborah saw him alive.
"I hear all the time that I have to let go of my anger. I can't, I tried very hard to protect him. I just wasn't loud enough," Deborah writes on Kaiden's Facebook page.
A spokeswoman with the Children's Division said the agency did all it could under the rules it is governed by.
"We must follow the law. The law requires that there must be evidence of abuse or neglect, or the child must be in imminent danger. Other than that, when we have concerns, all we can do is offer voluntary services," said Arleasha Mays, assistant communications director for the Department of Social Services.
She said Children's Division staff never found any evidence that would be enough to get Kaiden taken.
After a few weeks of investigation and despite documented concerns, Kaiden was returned to Tatianna Light the night of Oct. 4.
He would be dead before the next sunset.
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