"It is absolutely terrifying, it's gut-wrenching, I really cared for those children," said the boyfriend of the Auburn, Massachusetts, foster mom whose 2-year-old died after being found unresponsive last month.
A.J. Mallett is shared his story about the day two-year-old foster child Avalena Conway died, exclusively with necn.
Mallett was the live-in boyfriend of Kim Malpass when Avalena and another 22-month-old foster child were found unresponsive in their home last month.
"I was awoken to Kim telling me that she felt that Ava wasn't alive," said Mallett, "I woke up and there was a brief moment where I held her in my arms, she was lifeless."
Mallett says Malpass immediately called for an ambulance, while asking him to leave the home, as he wasn't registered with DCF as living there, and as a convicted felon wouldn't have been allowed to live there with foster children in the home.
"I know that I have a criminal record but this has nothing to do with this case," said Mallett, "your past is your past but I would never hurt a child and neither would Kim."
Mallett says he has been clean and sober for two years and lived with Kim in her Auburn home for the past year and a half, along with her two biological sons, her adopted daughter, and eventually three foster children.
Massachusetts
The latest news from around the state
"We raised those kids like they were our own and we both loved them very much, Kim cared for those children," said Mallett, "and although I wasn't supposed to be in the home I cared for them very much, too."
Mallett corroborated what several friends and neighbors told necn about rashes on the two foster children examined by doctors three days before Ava died.
Mallett said, "It was diagnosed hand, foot and mouth."
But Mallett says he has no idea if that played any role in Ava's death or the other little girl's hospitalization.
"They had gone and returned to school that Friday, came home," said Mallett, "that was the last night we spent with them."
In court Tuesday, prosecutors said this case is before a grand jury, but said what once seemed like a "likelihood of charges" being brought, now only seems like a "possibility."
Mallett says he has been cooperating fully with investigators, has done several interviews with Auburn Police and Massachusetts State Police, and even testified before the grand jury.
At last check, the other foster child found unresponsive in the home was in critical condition in the hospital.
