Police: Dunmore mom nearly killed 8-month-old daughter by diluting baby's formula
Jun. 5—A Dunmore mother of four went before a judge Monday on criminal charges she nearly killed her 8-month-old daughter by diluting the baby's formula.
Kalina Mendoza, 33, is jailed in Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail. Magisterial District Judge George E. Seig tentatively scheduled a preliminary hearing June 20.
Court records do not indicate she has an attorney.
Attempts to reach Lackawanna County District Attorney Mark Powell and Dunmore Police Chief Sal Marchese were unsuccessful.
Dunmore Detective Michael Lydon charged Mendoza, of 1805 Tall Trees Drive, with child endangerment and recklessly endangering another person.
Her arraignment on those counts comes more than a week after her 8-month-old daughter arrived at Geisinger Community Medical Center's emergency room weighing only as much as a typical 2-month-old.
The baby's condition was noted as a "near fatality," Lydon said in court paperwork.
Since leaving her mother's care, the infant has gained more than a pound, police said.
According to an affidavit Lydon filed, Mendoza acknowledged she diluted the baby's formula with water. At first, she explained she tried to feed her daughter different types of food, but she spat up much of it.
While under care in the hospital, the baby tolerated formula and did not vomit the food.
Lydon confronted Mendoza with the fact the baby gained weight, and Mendoza acknowledged she tried to make the baby formula last for a longer period of time.
She could see physical signs of her daughter's malnutrition because "she started feeling lighter" when she held her.
Under questioning by Lydon, she agreed she failed to make use of organizations she knew could assist her with food. She feared calling for help or taking the baby to the hospital because she worried she would get in trouble and lose custody of her children.
Those children — including her 8-year-old and 7-year-old who have intellectual disabilities — were responsible for the baby's care during "lengthy" periods Mendoza was indisposed by depression, police said.
Dunmore School District officials raised concerns in April and May because the children said they were always hungry and never had food in the house.
The custody status of her children could not be confirmed Monday.
The Lackawanna County Office of Youth and Family Services assigned a caseworker to Mendoza and her children.
The caseworker, not identified in the affidavit, visited their apartment several times since Mendoza moved to the area in March, police said. The criminal complaint does not note if any concerns were raised during those visits.
An attempt to reach William Browning, director of the county's Department and Health and Human Services, was unsuccessful Monday.
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