Barahona Seeks To Have Attempted Murder Trial Moved To Miami
WEST PALM BEACH (CBSMiami) – The Miami man accused of killing his 10-year-old adoptive daughter and nearly killing her twin brother wants his attempted murder trial moved out of Palm Beach County.
According to the Palm Beach Post, attorneys for Jorge Barahona asked Circuit Judge Sandra McSorely on Tuesday to move the case to Miami.
The Palm Beach trial is scheduled to start in May for the attempted murder of Victor Barahona in February 2011.
Barahona, along with his wife Carmen, already faces a potential death penalty for the murder of Victor's twin sister, Nubia.
The grisly case began on Valentine's Day 2011 when Nubia Barahona's decomposing body was found in her father's pesticide truck alongside I-95 in Palm Beach County. Her brother was alive but he had been doused with chemicals. He was found in the front seat, suffering from severe chemical burns.
The judge has not ruled on the request to move the trial.
Nubia and Victor were adopted by the Barahonas in 2009 after living in their home since 2004. The kids, authorities discovered, had endured starvation, beatings, medical neglect and they had been tied and forced to stay in a bathtub.
The Department of Children and Families came under fire during the course of the police investigation into Nubia's death for failing to piece together warning signs from medical professionals and school officials that something was wrong in the Barahona home. A Blue Ribbon task force was charged with looking into DCF's handling of the case. he agency blamed it on a system wide failure, including poor judgment by child protective investigators, overwhelming caseloads and missed opportunities at every turn.
