Baby's death prompts inquiry

Pasco sheriff's detectives say very little, including whether a Zephyrhills couple are suspects.

By TAMARA LUSH

© St. Petersburg Times, published November 24, 2000

ZEPHYRHILLS -- Keshwar Mangroo said he woke early Wednesday to the crying of his month-old daughter, who was lying in a crib with her twin brother.

He said he left the room to make a bottle. Then he heard his girlfriend, Maria Morales, scream: "My baby's dead!" Mangroo said he ran into the bedroom where Morales was holding the tiny boy, who wasn't breathing and whose hands were the color of chalk. "He was black and blue all over his face," Mangroo said Thursday. "Like he was beaten up real bad."

Mangroo, 31, said he doesn't know how little Puirmesh Mangroo -- known to his family as Bobby -- died, or how the boy's face became bruised.

Pasco County sheriff's detectives are saying very little. They are investigating, but they won't say whether Morales or Mangroo are suspects.

Mangroo said detectives have tried to get him to say Morales hurt Bobby.

"I know she didn't hurt her kids," Mangroo said. "She takes such good care."

The other twin, Purisima Mariah Mangroo, was taken to East Pasco Medical Center. A hospital spokeswoman said Thursday the girl is in stable condition. Her father said she was hospitalized for a fever and respiratory problems.

Mangroo said he visited his daughter at the hospital but that deputies wouldn't allow Morales to see her.

Morales, 30, was at a family member's home in Zephyrhills on Thursday. An aunt said she was too upset to talk about what had happened.

"She's taking it really bad," said Diane Santos, who said Morales is a wonderful mother. "This was very strange to all of us."

Mangroo said he and Morales have been together for about five years. He said they moved to their modest, one-story home in southeastern Zephyrhills about three years ago.

Mangroo said he and Morales were home all day Tuesday. In the afternoon, Morales had minor surgery to remove a lump from her underarm. He said that's why he stayed home from his job at a St. Petersburg grocery store.

That night, Mangroo said, was like any other. Morales' two children, ages 12 and 6, played in the yard, as did Mangroo and Morales' 3-year-old daughter.

Later that evening, Mangroo said, he carried his daughter to the crib, while the 12-year-old carried Bobby.

Mangroo said he started to fall asleep on the floor in front of the TV, and Morales jokingly pulled on his leg, dragging him across the floor.

He pointed to a scratch on his right cheek and said he got it from his skin hitting the rug.

"She was joking," he said. "Why would we fight?"

Mangroo said he and Morales then went to sleep in their bed, along with the 3-year-old girl, about 10:30 p.m.

Less than six hours later, Morales found Bobby dead, he said.

Mangroo said some people may not believe that's what happened. But he swears that he and his girlfriend are good parents who would never hurt any of their children.

"We know what kind of parents we are and how we take care of our kids," he said.

Mangroo said when he watches television and hears about harmed or missing children, he gets upset. He mentioned JonBenet Ramsey and Sabrina Aisenberg as examples.

"I sit there and watch TV and wonder how parents can do things like that," he said.

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