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Tearful aide details suffering of boy, 7

By Sue Lindsay, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published January 15, 2008 at 12:30 a.m.

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Chandler Grafner weighed only 34 pounds when he died.

Chandler Grafner weighed only 34 pounds when he died.

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Two months before he died, 7-year-old Chandler Grafner asked a kindergarten teacher's aide to stop questioning him about his injuries because he got in trouble with his mom and dad every time she did.

Chandler died of starvation after being removed from school and allegedly kept in a closet for punishment. Jon Phillips, 26, and Sarah Berry, 21, are charged with first-degree murder in his death. Chandler weighed only 34 pounds when he died.

Amy Domanski, a teacher's aide at Holm Elementary School in Denver, tearfully described her last conversation with Chandler during a motions hearing Monday in Denver District Court.

"He came up to me and took my hand and said, 'Please don't interrogate me anymore. I get in so much trouble.' He was pleading with me. I said 'interrogate' is a big word for such a little guy. He said, 'That's the word my mom and dad use.' "

Soon after this incident, he was pulled from school.

School officials reported issues surrounding Chandler to social services, but Domanski said she wasn't questioned by authorities about what she saw until after Chandler's death.

Domanski on Monday testified about three other incidents involving the boy.

On Dec. 1, 2006, she said he came to school with no coat and wearing one shoe on a cold day with a wind chill of minus 11 degrees. Chandler explained that he was getting himself ready for school and didn't want to be late because it was Teddy Bear Day, she said.

"He loved school," she said. "He was always very happy to be at school."

About six weeks later, on Jan. 17, she said she noticed from across the room that Chandler had red welts on his neck in the shape of fingers.

"My dad squeezed my neck," she said he told her, saying it didn't hurt, but his ear did.

Domanski said she pulled back his hair and was astonished to see that his ear was completely black. He also had scratches on his forehead and the side of his face.

"There was no flesh tone at all," she said.

Domanski said he later confided, "My dad clobbered me."

Chandler explained that he got into trouble for fighting with his half brother, she said.

He also said that "sometimes they put him in the shower and put the water on as hot as it would go," Domanski said.

On March 6, Chandler came to school with red marks around his eyes. Domanski said when she asked about them, Chandler at first shrugged and then put his finger up in the air and said, "Oh, I know! I'm supposed to tell you that I have pinkeye."

Three days later, Chandler asked her not to "interrogate" him anymore.

lindsays@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5181

Comments

  • January 15, 2008

    10:24 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    justice2008 writes:

    Once again the system has failed our children. When are they going to get off their a** and open their eyes? Poor little Chandler, rest in peace sweetie. God and his angels will take care of you now, and no one like your evil parents will ever hurt you again. May the parents be sentenced to the fullest while here on earth, and if not, they will serve a worse sentence when they stand before God and try to explain why they killed one of his children.

  • January 15, 2008

    1:44 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    nohope writes:

    This case has tormented me since it happened. I did not know Chandler, but I feel like he was one of my own, everytime I hear something about this case I cry for days. I wish I could have done something. How can people be so evil to do what they did to him. I feel like I lost some of my faith. I do hope there is a God in heaven taking care of him and the monsters responsible for this get what they deserved, hopefully they are finding out in prision, monters like them are the lowest trash among the other prisioners.

  • January 16, 2008

    10:17 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    carguy writes:

    I hope That The Two People that are respocible for this Get what they derserve which would be Locking them in a closet and starving them to death . Or locked in prison for the rest of ther lifes .

  • January 23, 2008

    12:03 p.m.

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    annie143 writes:

    nohope, your post touched me deeply and I agree with everything you said.

    I find that little Chandler has touched my life in a very profound way and I am not quite sure why, as the stories of all abused and neglected children are a tragedy in themselves. He was such a sweet, brave little fellow and I would have loved him dearly and kept him safe had it been possible.

    I am in Florida and have a hard time finding out info about this case so I hope news will continue to be posted on the boards and in the news.

    I hope the murderers spend the rest of their life in prison. I shall be paying for that.

  • January 25, 2008

    7:34 a.m.

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    tearful writes:

    The system failed but as people, we failed this child as well. I would hope that someone would have the courage after reading this story about this child would take action if they ever see something like this right in front of them. Even if it means creating a disturbance and or a scene. I have 2 kids in school. When I go to the school, I question everything I see if I do not think it is right. And I do not stop until I am satisified. It takes a village to raise a child. But it takes that same village it save one. That means knock on the door, do what you have to. The ball was dropped where this child was concerned. Some might see my view as stepping over the boundary. However, when you see a child coming to school with no coat, one show in -11 degree tempatures, with bruising and he is telling you where it came from...the line was already crossed.

  • April 30, 2008

    11:03 p.m.

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    xsocialworker writes:

    A constructive suggestion for any teachers, aides or concerned citizens reading this. WHen social services is unresponsive to your complaints about a child with VISIBLE bruises from assaults by their "caretakers" - you can call the police and report it. You will get a much faster and more comprehensive response when you do this.

    I am in NJ. Some school systems here will not "allow" you to do this and will want you to follow procedure. No one will tell you that this is an option but it is. Most police forces in cities have a special unit dedicated to handling child abuse cases. Next time you are frustrated with the bumbling Child Protective Services team who mishandle the children you are trying to protect, call your local police department instead.

    I applaud the efforts of the teachers in this case. Too bad their warnings and the boy's cries for help went unheeded.

  • August 5, 2008

    8:33 a.m.

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    gabymarie77 writes:

    A lot of people are posting blame on Social Services but in reality everyone in that boy's life has failed him. So sad!