Pueblo woman sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2020 death of foster child
A Pueblo foster mom was sentenced to more than a decade in prison Friday in connection to the 2020 death of a 15-month-old child in her care.
Dacey Spinuzzi pleaded guilty in September 2021 to a Class 4 felony count of accessory to a crime resulting in the death of a child in her care stemming from the Sept. 18, 2020, death of her foster child Aiden Seeley.
She was sentenced Friday to 12 years in the Department of Corrections with three years of parole and was given credit for 399 days of time served.
Spinuzzi’s plea agreement with the 10th Judicial District Attorney’s Office stipulated she testify truthfully in the trial of her ex-boyfriend, Ramondo Jones, who stands accused of Seeley’s murder.
Jones’ first-degree murder trial concluded Friday after more than two weeks of testimony, but the jury had not reached a verdict by the end of the day and will resume deliberating Tuesday.
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Prosecutors said at Spinuzzi’s sentencing hearing there was no indication she was untruthful in her testimony during Jones’ trial, and District Court Judge Thomas Flesher accepted the agreement and imposed the sentence.
Addressing the court, a sobbing Spinuzzi apologized to Seeley’s family.
“I just want to apologize to Aiden’s family. And I wish things were different and that I could have protected Aiden,” she said through tears.
“I’m just truly, from the bottom of my heart, very sorry. I apologize to his family.”
Addressing Spinuzzi, Flesher said the Seeley case is “one of the saddest” he’s dealt with.
“When I look at what occurred … the bottom line is this should never have happened. This never should have happened. Aiden Seeley should be alive, he should be growing up, he just didn’t have the ability to do that,” Flesher said.
“It shouldn’t have happened and it is just a sad situation. Sadness doesn’t really characterize it.”
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Pueblo County sheriff’s deputies initially were called to Spinuzzi’s home in the 400 block of West Coral Drive in Pueblo West on a report of an unresponsive child.
A medical examination and autopsy following Seeley’s death determined he died from injuries sustained from child abuse. Through an investigation, PCSO detectives concluded the injuries occurred while Seeley was in Spinuzzi’s care.
Spinuzzi pleaded guilty on Sept. 23, 2021.
As part of the plea agreement, Spinuzzi agreed there were aggravating factors, such as her position as a foster parent, that could have allowed a jury to find her guilty of a higher-class felony charge — knowingly committing child abuse that resulted in death — which was dropped through her plea.
Spinuzzi testified during Jones’ trial that she lied to police to protect Jones, despite knowing he had seriously hurt the toddler.
Chieftain editor Zach Hillstrom can be reached at zhillstrom@gannett.com or on Twitter @ZachHillstrom.
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo woman sentenced to 12 years in prison in death of foster child
