SEATTLE — A Kent mother has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of her 2-year-old son.
Prosecutors allege Sandy Fernandez abused her 2-year-old son, Jose Fernandez , leading to his death.
Photos and videos are now the only memories Kaylee Kravic has of Jose.
“Everything he would say, he would laugh after, he was such a sweet little boy, very funny,” Kravic said.
Kravic worked with Sandy Fernandez at the Hometown Suites in Kent. It's also where Sandy Fernandez, her boyfriend and Jose lived. Kravic would watch him on occasion.
“He seemed really hungry so I did feed him and I did give him a bath because he was really dirty and his hair was matted,” she said. “He had bruises on his back, he had bruises on his legs, he had a cut on his head that Sandy said he hit the corner on the table.”
In February of this year, Kravic said she reported Sandy Fernandez and her boyfriend to CPS.
"It was a quick phone call just saying Sandy was cleared, they did an investigation and Sandy was cleared and that was it,” she said.
According to charging documents, Sandy Fernandez is charged with second-degree murder in the death of her son.
Prosecuting attorneys allege Jose suffered from massive internal injuries, a skull fracture, fractured jaw, internal bleeding, an infection and multiple contusions. The documents also said that Sandy Fernandez confessed to hitting Jose multiple times when he wouldn't go to bed.
Sandy Fernandez made a direct quote to Kent police saying, "like I hate to say it, but all I wanted to do was strangle him," according to court documents.
“One little choice of hers has now cost me a lifetime of memories and experiences with him that I never get to have now,” said Brayden Earl, Jose’s biological father.
Earl and Sandy Fernandez were 15 years old when they realized she was pregnant.
He said he found out about Jose’s death from Facebook. Earl said he and his family were blocked from seeing Jose.
“We had started talking with some legal teams and it was a couple of weeks after that we found out he passed away,” said Earl.
The family, like Kravic, want answers.
“I think our system needs to do better,” Kravic said.
KING 5 reached out to the Washington State Department of children, youth and families and was told to make a formal records request. We have not received a response to that request.
Sandy Fernandez will be arraigned in court next week, Aug. 18, where she will enter her plea.