Grandparents: CPS Failed 4-Year-Old Girl Beaten To Death
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GRAND PRAIRIE (CBS11) - Alisa and Craig Clakley are overcome with emotion as they talk about the loss of their four-year-old granddaughter Leiliana Wright.
"We lost a huge part of our lives," says Mrs. Clakley.
"We loved this little girl more than life itself... I would have done anything for her," says Mr. Clakley.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner says Wright died of blunt force trauma.
Wright's mother, Jeri Quezada, remains in the Grand Prairie Jail on a $500,000 bond, charged with injury to a child in connection with her death.
But the Clakleys say one year ago, they began to see signs of physical abuse on Leiliana, and they took photos.
"She had two black eyes and a bad bruise across her face, some bruises on her back, poor thing," says Alisa Clakley.
The couple says they and other relatives who saw the bruises called CPS multiple times. But they say to their surprise, Leiliana remained with Quezada.
CBS11 asked the Clakleys if CPS failed their granddaughter.
"Yes, yes, very much so. Yes they did," says Craig Clakley.
"They failed her completely," adds Alisa Clakley.
They say they raised Leiliana for the first two years of her life while Quezada served time in prison.
Their son is the child's biological father.
The couple say Quezada had custody of Leiliana for the past two years, and that Quezada didn't allow them to see her recently.
Mrs. Clakley says, "When their particular job is to protect children and help them this didn't happen in this case. I don't care what anyone says, It didn't happen."
A spokeswoman for CPS, Marissa Gonzales says the agency did investigate allegations, but won't comment further.
CPS is now conducting an investigation into this case, and Gonzales says a report will be released in about three weeks.
Grand Prairie Police say the investigation remains ongoing.
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