Foster Mother Enters Plea in Child’s Death

A 53-year-old foster mother charged with beating to death a 3-year-old child in her care pleaded not guilty to murder and child abuse charges Thursday in a Lynwood court, where her bail was raised to $1 million.

Doris Jean Bennett, who was granted child custody of Gilbreania Wallace and the child’s sister Cashey, 5, two years ago, was arrested by sheriff’s deputies on June 7, one day after Gilbreania died at King/Drew Medical Center.

Bennett had taken Gilbreania to the hospital for trauma to the upper body, and the 3-year-old was in a coma when she was admitted.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 23. An autopsy report on the cause of Gilbreania’s death is pending, and John H. Sweeney, Bennett’s attorney, said the defense will ask the court that an independent pathologist also conduct an autopsy.

Gilbreanis and Cashey Wallace were put in Bennett’s custody two years ago by social workers who took the girls away from their grandmother, Florence Wallace, after pipes in her South-Central house broke and flooded the basement with sewage.

Wallace has been fighting to regain custody of her grandchildren.