18-Month-Old Leah Brown-Meza died of blunt force trauma earlier this month according to San Diego authorities. She is the great-granddaughter of the Jamul Indian Villag
e Tribal Leader. The Jamul Indian Village is one of the 13 bands of the Kumeyaay Nation. Kenneth Meza, the Vice-Chair for the Jamul Indian Village and great-grandfather of the victim, helped lead the tribe to federal government recognition over the past 30 years and helped to secure a partner in constructing the gaming facility now on tribal land. His great-granddaughter was living with her mother and her mother’s boyfriend in a mobile home when the alleged fatal incident occurred. The tragedy has stricken the entire community. The toddler’s mother faces three counts of willful cruelty to a child with great bodily injury and/or death. It is believed that she did not call authorities immediately because she feared she may be questioned about the injuries by authorities. Bail will likely be set at $300,000 according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.
Wiliey Kevin Foster, the mother’s boyfriend, is being held on $2 Million bail. He faces murder charges in the death of the young girl. Leah Brown-Meza was the only great-granddaughter of the tribal leader.