Colorado child protection system under fire after 2-month-old Ezra Johnson's death
Questions have arisen about the actions of child protective workers following the death of a 2-month-old baby in Colorado in July.
The child's mother, 31-year-old Lisa Johnson, and her boyfriend, 33-year-old Alexander Avila, of Lakewood, have both been charged with first-degree murder. Avila also faces a felony charge of tampering with evidence.
Additionally, 19-year-old Gage Martinez, arrested Monday, is accused of evidence tampering in the case.
Details about what investigators believe happened on July 26 at a condo in the 500 block of Vance Street remain unclear, as arrest affidavits have been sealed. However, some public documents provide insight into the case.
The Jefferson County Coroner ruled that Ezra Johnson died from methamphetamine intoxication. The autopsy report noted: "The levels of methamphetamine and its metabolite, amphetamine, detected in the decedent's blood are extremely high. Initial results could not be quantified because they were out of range for the testing instruments."
Ezra lived for two months and 17 days. His mother told investigators she had gone out to run errands around 11 a.m., leaving him at home. She claimed she was gone for only 10 to 15 minutes. According to the autopsy report, however, conflicting information about the timeline emerged. When she returned, she found Ezra unresponsive and called 911. A resident of the home attempted CPR, moving the baby outside. However, when West Metro firefighters arrived, they placed Ezra in an ambulance without further efforts, citing "obvious signs of death," the report stated.
"She would tell me that she's done drugs," a relative of Lisa Johnson, who declined to be identified, told CBS News Colorado, "but she told me she wasn't doing drugs anymore. But she lies all the time."
The relative blamed Ezra's death on Johnson but also criticized Jefferson County Human Services' Child Protective Services.
"If they would have done their job, he would still be here," the relative said.
Steffany Lyddon, a foster and adoptive mother to Ezra's nearly 4-year-old older brother expressed her sorrow. She and her husband, Nick, previously fostered another of Johnson's children, who another family has since adopted. Johnson's oldest child lives with his biological father. She did not have custody of any of her children.
"We really try hard to make relationships with the families whose kids we foster because we know it's better for the kids when we're on the same team," Steffany Lyddon said.
When Johnson became pregnant with Ezra, she called the Lyddons, who helped her get prenatal care.
"We were told that the other person in the house was not safe," Nick Lyddon said.
"My immediate thought was that I need to protect this baby," Steffany Lyddon added. "I drove all the way from Aurora to Jefferson County, sometimes multiple times a week, because I wanted to make sure multiple people were having eyes on the baby."
The Lyddons visited Johnson in the hospital after Ezra was born and voiced their concerns to nurses. Despite this, Johnson and Ezra were discharged, and the Lyddons drove them home.
Eleven days later, Johnson asked the Lyddons to care for Ezra temporarily, which they did for nearly two weeks.
"Our kids loved him. They loved to snuggle him, and he was so happy," Steffany said. They told Ezra's older brother about him, but the toddler, still under 4, found his own way to process the relationship.
"He would call him 'my baby,'" she said.
The arrangement was not formal foster care but part of a voluntary safety plan with Johnson. However, the Lyddons were told Ezra had to return to his mother.
"There were red flags that were expressed to Jefferson County DHS, and he went home to her," Steffany said, citing confidentiality laws that limited what she could disclose.
Child protective services workers were monitoring the case in early July. By July 26, Ezra was dead.
"To some extent, the death of Ezra feels like a culmination of a series of kids that we've either personally seen go home or heard about through other foster parents," Nick Lyddon said.
The Lyddons believe federal regulations under the Family First Prevention Services Act overly restrict child protective services.
"What that law does is make it hard for child protective services to keep children safe. Because by law, they are forced to 'lean into risk,'" Steffany said. "But this time, they leaned too far."
CBS Colorado sought comment from the director of Jefferson County's Department of Human Services about the Family First Prevention Services Act and its effects but was told there would be no additional comment beyond an emailed statement saying, "The death of a child is incredibly tragic, and we are confident that the individuals responsible will be held accountable."
The Lyddons continue to grieve Ezra's loss and question whether they could have done more. They hope for a review of the Family First Prevention Services Act and child protective services procedures. Meanwhile, Johnson, Avila and Martinez await their next court dates.
Ezra's ashes are now with a family member.
"I'm actually less mad at her than I am at the system," Steffany Lyddon said, "which sounds so crazy. But she is the way she is and wasn't going to change."
