KENT, Wash. — A Kent mother charged with killing her 2-year-old son pleaded not guilty in court on Thursday.
Many former classmates of Sandy Fernandez were there to set up a memorial for 2-year-old Jose Fernandez and see their former high school classmate behind bars. They tell KING 5 that at this point, they're just angry.
A make-shift memorial was placed outside the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent.
"It was really important to me to be a balance to the evil," said Ronnie Adams who used to go to high school with Sandy Fernandez.
Prayer candles and flowers surround a young and smiling Jose Fernandez.
"When we're little, we don't realize what's going on around us or any situation so he was always smiling and bubbly and energetic," said Adams.
Former classmates sat in the courtroom today to see the arraignment of Sandy Fernandez who appeared via zoom.
She pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder. Prosecuting attorneys allege Jose suffered internal injuries, a skull fracture, fractured jaw, internal bleeding, an infection and multiple contusions.
According to the King County Medical Examiner's Office, Jose died from hemorrhaging and an infection that would take a minimum of 24 hours to develop. Court documents state it took 8 days from the time Jose was assaulted to the day he died.
"Just anger, pure anger and sadness for him because he was a baby. He had so much more of his life that he could have done some amazing things," said Adams.
Sandy Fernandez had Jose while she was in high school. Adams said she used to offer to babysit Jose or buy diapers, she noticed scratches and bruises on him.
"Looking back on these things is really hard for me," Adams said.
KING 5 talked with former coworker Kaylee Kravic last week, she took care of Jose and said she reported Sandy Fernandez and her boyfriend to CPS in February of this year.
"I noticed he had bruises on his back, 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," said Kravic.
KING 5 formally requested those documents from the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families and was told it could take up to 60 days to hear back.
"When somebody dies from something preventable, there's really no excuse, so many people failed him, so many people," said Maise Adams who helped set up Jose's memorial. For now, the hope is that Jose's life is remembered.
Fernandez has a trial date set for October 11th of this year.