'Foster mom pushed child before death' Bond Set at $10,000 for Foster Mother Charged with Open Murder

Bond Set at $10,000 for Foster Mother Charged with Open Murder
5-Year-Old Emily Meno died after suffering a traumatic brain injury
Lisa LaPlante/Lindsay KusFOX 17 News Reporters
4:18 PM EDT, July 21, 2010



KENT COUNTY - Bond was set this afternoon at $10,000 for Joy Heaven, the foster mother charged with murder while committing child abuse, in the death of a 5 year old girl last weekend.

Heaven appeared very emotional as a judge read the charges. The Kent County Sheriff's Department was called to the hospital to investigate the circumstances of injuries sustained by Emily Meno on Friday, July 16th. Emily passed away on July 17th. An autopsy revealed the cause of death was a severe bleeding of the brain.

According to a court affidavit, on July 15th, paramedics were called to Heaven's home in Gaines Township for a child who would not wake up. Heaven first told paramedics that she believed that Emily had suffered an epileptic seizure. She was placed on life support for two days. July 17th, she was removed from life support and died.

After the autopsy results came back, the affidavit says Heaven admitted around 8 p.m. on the night of July 15, she was "frustrated with Emily for wetting her pants and being in her way," so she shoved Emily "really hard." The force threw Emily so hard, her feet went through the air, and landed on her head in the kitchen. Emily was unconscious for a few seconds, but woke up. Heaven told investigators she sent Emily to bed. After 10 p.m., Emily woke up and vomitted, then passed out. That's when Heaven called 911. The Medical Examiner, Dr. Stephen Cohle, said the autopsy supports the explanation given by Heaven.

Emily and her twin sister were under the foster care of Joy Heaven, a 30 year old single woman who received the girls through Bethany Christian Services.

Bethany Christians Services, based in Grand Rapids, would not comment on the specific case but said they are in shock and devastated by the situation.

BCS issued the license to the foster parent with the approval of the state and does an extensive background and screening.

"I don't believe it," said Betty Meno, the child's biological grandmother. She says she met the foster mother a couple of times when the girls would come to visit, but that they didnt' live with her for very long.

"I personally didn't think they should have been in foster care," said Meno. Betty says the girls were taken away because their mother had a low IQ, but wouldn't get into details.

The twins went through many challenges. Tiffany suffers seizures and was autistic. Their older sister died in car crash back in 2008. The twins bounced around from foster care home to foster care home.

"They had a hard life, but they were happy somtimes," said Betty Meno. Emily was said to love the toy "Clifford" and the color purple. She had big eyes and cury hair.

Her obit says she was attending Wellerwood Preschool in Grand Rapds and was getting ready to start kindergarten in the fall.

Her funeral will be held on Thursday at Rockford Springs Community Church.

Family members dont' know what to think of the situation but take comfort knowing the little girl who had a tough go on her short life is in a better place.

"She is in Heaven with Jesus and her older sister and shes' not hurting and she's not crying but I am going to miss her," said Meno.
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