Prosecutors Granted More Time to Investigate Toddler’s Death

Prosecutors told a judge Tuesday they need more time to investigate the 1995 beating death of 2-year-old Lance Helms and decide whether to retry a woman in a case that gained statewide notoriety.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Hoff delayed until February the hearing on whether Eve Wingfield will be tried again in the child’s death in the North Hollywood apartment she shared with David Helms, the victim’s father.

“We are fully embroiled in the investigation,” Deputy Dist. Atty. Steven Slavitt said. “We want the truth to come out. . . . We are doing everything possible to uncover the truth.”

In an unusual move, Hoff last September allowed Wingfield, 24, to withdraw her no-contest plea to child endangerment, on which she had been convicted and had served 21 months of a 10-year prison term.

Hoff made the ruling after key prosecution testimony from coroners changed. A police review of the case exonerated Wingfield and identified David Helms as the only suspect.

The child’s death sparked widespread criticism of county Dependency Court and ultimately led to changes in state law emphasizing safety over family reunification.

Wingfield’s lawyer, Michael E. Goodman, said he didn’t think prosecutors were foot-dragging. “They obviously want to be careful they don’t prosecute the wrong person,” Goodman said. “They did it once and they don’t want to do it again.”

Dr. James Ribe of the Los Angeles County coroner’s office originally testified the boy died 30 to 60 minutes after a severe beating to the abdomen while in Wingfield’s care.

But Ribe’s story changed following the new investigation by LAPD Det. Terry Lopez. The second time around, the senior medical examiner told authorities the death could have occurred within minutes, shifting the focus to David Helms.

Prosecutors originally contended that Wingfield beat the boy, then left the apartment to visit a pawnshop.

The report of the new investigation states that “David Helms was the last adult to have care and custody of Lance Helms, during the time period immediately prior to his death. Helms used his fist to repeatedly strike Lance Helms with tremendous force in the abdominal area, causing massive internal injuries.”

Court documents show that David Helms has a criminal record dating to 1978 and was convicted of larceny and conspiracy while in the Army. After his discharge, Helms was convicted of crimes involving prostitution, burglary, narcotics and robbery, records show.