WITH NEW INFORMATION: Neighbors remember ‘fun’ boy as police wait for results from autopsy

By Stephanie Brien
Journal Times

Tuesday, September 23, 2008 10:37 PM CDT

EARLIER STORY: Toddler’s death called suspicious

RACINE — Police are still waiting for the autopsy results for the 2-year-old who was found dead Monday morning.

Police and rescue crews responded Monday to 3421 17th St. for Brian Hawes, who was not breathing. Police are calling it a suspicious death.

“The investigation is ongoing,” said Racine Police Lt. Jim Dobbs.

Brian’s third birthday would have been in December.

“Baby Brian, he was so fun,” said Amber Jones, 19. “He was always smiling.” She used to live next to Brian and baby-sat for him. He was always getting into stuff and loved playing video games and “Guitar Hero,” she said.

The Waukesha County medical examiner conducted an autopsy Tuesday, but further tests will be conducted today, a representative from the Racine County Medical Examiner’s Office said. The results may not be in for several weeks.

A week before the boy died, a neighbor said she called Human Services because she had not seen the toddler lately.

“They said they would forward it to a supervisor, and that is the last I ever heard of it,” said Vicki Peterson, who lives next door to the family. “Now he is dead.”

She said she called a week before he was reported dead and a couple weeks before that.

“He used to be outside and then he disappeared,” Peterson said. “I haven’t seen him in weeks.”

She was also suspicious because there was cardboard blocking the window where she used to frequently see Brian, she said.

Racine County Human Services officials and county officials would not confirm or deny if the department received any calls for the residence.

THe Racine County Human Services Department is working with the Police Department on the case, said Kerry Milkie, Racine County child protective services supervisor.

The Human Services Department’s quality insurance agent will be investigating how the case was handled, she said.

The department investigated 1,600 complaints of abuse and neglect in 2007, Milkie said. She estimates the department received double that number of complaints, but said they investigate those that meet state requirements and guidelines.

“People call in with a little tiny bit of information and we have to assess what they are telling us,” Milkie said. “Sometimes what the caller is telling us doesn’t meet the criteria for an investigation.”

The department will also notify the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families about the child’s death, which is protocol for the department, Milkie said.

“At this point that is exactly what they should be doing,” County Executive William McReynolds said. “We’re always concerned when there is a death of a child ... But at this point I cannot confirm or deny if we were involved (in earlier cases).”

Police took a man into custody Monday from the home where Brian died, police said.

He was taken into custody on a probation hold, which means he may have violated conditions of his probation and could be held in jail pending further judicial proceedings.

Police also executed a search warrant on the home, but have not arrested or charged anyone as of Tuesday evening.

Brian’s mother is 27-year-old Tisa Hawes, Dobbs said. There was also a 7-year-old boy living at the house, but Dobbs did not know where he was Tuesday. The woman’s boyfriend was also living at the house, a neighbor said. But police would not say if the boyfriend was the man they took into custody.

Deputy Racine County Medical Examiner Craig Seeley pronounced the toddler dead at the scene at 10 a.m. Monday.

Tuesday morning, police were still at the scene — a side-by-side duplex in the city’s Rubberville neighborhood.

Investigators at the scene could not provide any information about the ongoing investigation.

“Once the results from the autopsy come in a lot is going to be answered,” said Vicki Peterson’s husband, Pete.

Pete Peterson’s last memory of 2-year-old Brian was of him getting out of his car with his mother a couple weeks ago, he recalled. Brian bounced out of the car, asked his mother if he could run over and give his neighbor a hug, and then ran over and hugged him, Peterson said.

“That is the last time I saw him.”

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