Thursday, September 25, 2008 Former mayor unable to leave to claim son's body
STA. ANA -- Former mayor Ramoncito Baro of this town was unable to leave for the United States Wednesday in his attempt to bring home the remains of his son who was shot in the stomach by a 91-year-old patient he was caring for in an adult-care facility.
A very close friend of the aggrieved mayor said she received a phone call this morning from a member of the Baro family informing her that Baro was unable to depart for Washington because of an expired visa. Baro was supposed to leave on Wednesday with another son to facilitate the return of his son, Ramoncito Baro IV back to Sta. Ana.
Baro IV, a 39-year old caregiver working at the family-owned Total Care Adult Family Home, a state-licensed care facility along 5805 62nd Street southwest in Washington, was shot in the stomach by one of his elderly patients, Joe Conway Elder who moved into the facility in December 2007, just before his Maple Valley home was auctioned in January 2008 when authorities there found out he was incapacitated.
Reports obtained by Sun.Star from the Washington press revealed that Baro IV had just brought the patient his snacks and was preparing to take him to a doctor about 10:39 a.m. when Elder pulled out a gun and shot him in the stomach for an unknown reason.
The report said Baro IV was rushed to the St. Joseph Hospital where he expired.
Elder on the other hand, was booked into the Pierce County Jail but would not speak to investigators.
Deputies there, led by Sheriff spokesman Ed Troyer, said the gun was owned and registered to Elder.
Detectives are still trying to determine what prompted the shooting, the report noted, and quoted Troyer as saying "They were very well-acquainted with each other, so I don't know what set them off."
Earlier this week, the shocked family of Baro IV appealed to local authorities here for assistance to have his body flown back to this town. (JTD)
