Suffering in Silence

By Kathleen Colagiovanni

These true events may be hard for some people to read. From child abuse to negligent care from medical professionals, this is Jomar's story. At only three months old, Jomar suffered traumatic injuries throughout his body alongside a life-threatening birth defect. There were many instances where this child should not have survived due to the bodily harm that he endured. A young mother began fighting for the rights of her child as she tried to prove her innocence. The tattoos that were laid over her body like a canvas only made her look more threatening in the eyes of the world. In order to get justice for her child, she went through hell and back. Yet no justice has been served. Hopefully this will bring light to the horrific acts against a newborn child and the pain his mother had to endure. Now at only two years old, Jomar cannot remember the pain that he went through nor can he speak to tell his story.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 20, 2024
• ISBN: 9798893150483

Book preview

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Suffering in Silence

Kathleen Colagiovanni

Copyright © 2024 Kathleen Colagiovanni

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2024

ISBN 979-8-89315-032-2 (pbk)

ISBN 979-8-89315-048-3 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Prologue

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

About the Author

Prologue

To whom this may offend—please continue reading. Graphic warning: child abuse.

This is a story based on true life events of how my son suffered in silence. Doctors who were trained to help failed my child. The juvenile court system failed my child. Throughout this story, no last names will be used, no doctors' office, or hospital name will be used or listed due to liability reasons. My son didn't get the justice he deserved. I will speak his story as he is not able to. I will bring light to what he endured and how a system built to protect him failed.

For three months, my child suffered without my knowledge. Educated medical professionals pushed my worries aside because I was a young mom with my first child. Doctors, along with CPS, brought their own bias into a case that should have been based merely on facts. I understood people looking down on me for having my first child at nineteen. I was believed to be immature, irresponsible, and unable to even care for myself. They had never been more wrong.

1

The Beginning

My life was never perfect nor was it everything I expected it to be. I was nineteen and working at a daycare, graduated with my teaching certificate, and I was ready to take on this career for the rest of my life. There wasn't much money in it or any place for me to advance to, but I loved those kids. I never wanted any children of my own but being able to care for these children brought so much joy to my heart. The fact that these children were going to be our future was all it took for me to put my heart and soul into this job. A daycare isn't just a babysitting gig where you give kids snacks and read to them. For eight to ten hours a day, you were second parents. You helped raise these kids, taught them how to read, write, and learn. I spent money out of my pockets for holiday goodie bags and decorations. I wasn't the mother of seventy children, but they were still my kids with all my heart.

Some of these kids had a rough home life from the start. It was hard to say, but over time, you became more of an influence on them than their own parents. I understand that raising children is a hard job, especially when you have more than one. However, taking time out of your day to actually speak to them like humans or help them with their homework can make a big difference in how they view the world. I was a really angry kid growing up because nobody could actually hear me. My voice wasn't heard, and speaking my feelings didn't mean anything. I wanted to give these kids a voice even if they didn't have one at home. I wanted them to grow up heard, respected, and loved even if all I could do to help was listen.

Throughout COVID, it was one of the hardest times for all of us. None of us could help each other or listen long enough to deal with this new way of life. I had no advanced degree or anything past a high school education, so helping them do their Zoom classes was absolute hell. They would argue with me all day about how You're the grown-up, you need to help me with my fractions. I couldn't even begin to explain to them that if somebody held a gun to my head, told me to do a fraction correctly or die, I would die. At our center, the children were aged between two and thirteen years old. The more I tried to understand their work, the more I asked myself how I graduated high school if I wasn't even smarter than a thirteen-year-old.

Soon after, I ended up getting what I thought at nineteen was heartbreaking news. I was pregnant. I couldn't be a mom, I thought. I was too young and too broke, scared with fear of what would come my way. I was so afraid of leaving my kids behind, of them thinking that they were less than or even breaking their hearts. Telling these kids was my biggest fear…but not for long.

I'm going to be the best auntie! my seven-year-old said.

"I bet it's going to be a boy just like me, and then