The defendant has portrayed herself as a nurturing Christian woman, Eastwood proclaimed. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, Hannah would remind him, quoting Philippians. (He was subsequently fired by CPS after having three car accidents on the job in less than six months.) I will always remember Dabney's love of animals, nature and good music. He had a speech disorder called echolalia, which is one of the things we see typically in children who have autism spectrum disorders. If you need legal advice, then retain an attorney to discuss the facts of your case. News reports that followed, prominently featuring their grim-faced mug shots, cast the Overton home as a house of horrors. Her second husband was Hampton Overton, who died about. 1 x 120' / Produced for Discovery Networks. ", More:Hannah Overton, supporters chant 'Actually innocent' after capital murder dismissal, More:Nueces County DA to dismiss Overton case, declare woman innocent. Im a pretty easygoing guy, but I remember thinking, Six kids? Larry told me. At 4 a.m., she reports to the laundry, where she folds shirts and hands out clean clothes to inmates. I was assured that they would be seeking lesser charges. During the trial, he said, I sat at the courthouse for five days, waiting to testify. Haller, who took notes documenting her conversation with Hess and later testified about it under oath, recalled the detectives certainty that Hannah had tried to kill Andrew. Hannah would never harm a child. Even setting aside her loyalty to her friend, the detectives theory made no sense to her. So I got to see that.. Support The National Registry of Exonerations , The Contribution of Forensic and Expert Evidence to DNA Exoneration Cases, Race and Wrongful Convictions in the United States, 2022, Government Misconduct and Convicting the Innocent, Witness Recantations: Preliminary Findings, May 2013, Exonerations in the United States: 1989 - 2012, Tell us about an Exoneration that we missed. The National Registry of Exonerations is a project of the Newkirk Center for Science & Society at University of California Irvine, the University of Michigan Law School and Michigan State University College of Law. Andrews preoccupation with eating intensified, and he began getting out of bed at night to forage for food in the kitchen. I didnt realize the seriousness of the situation. Eastwood questioned how Andrew had come to have scratches on his neck. In October 2006 a four-year-old from Corpus Christi named Andrew Burd died mysteriously of salt poisoning. That perception would throw her other children into the investigation as well. Dabney and I were great friends while I lived in Richmond back in the late 80s - Browder,Russell days. Share Dabney's life story with friends and family. The importance of saying "I love you" during COVID-19, Effective ways of dealing with the grieving process, Solutions to show your sympathy safely during the Covid-19 pandemic. Every Saturday for the past several years, Larry has ridden his motorcycle from Corpus Christi to the Murray Unit, the maximum-security womens prison west of Waco where Hannah is incarcerated: a squat, concrete building walled off from the world with cyclone fencing and coils of razor wire. I worked with Dabney at Browder Russell just after he graduated from W & L, and saw him often at FBYC. I enjoyed his company and was truly blessed to have shared time with him. Larry with (from left) his children Ally, Isaac, Sebastian, Emma, and Isabel. Funeral arrangement under the care ofHeritage Funeral Home. After the Overton family heard the news yesterday, they said they celebrated with a family dinner at Hannah's mother's home, "with nothing hanging over our heads.". Once reunited with their childrenwho were terrified by the ordealLarry and Hannah had to break the awful news to them about Andrew. We dont know precisely how she got it down Andrew, but we know that he was very, very obedient, Eastwood told the jury, standing before the TV news cameras that Judge Longoria had allowed inside the courtroom. I wish his family well. Then, as always, Hannah had been composed, despite the strain she was under. When they took him along on errands, they had to keep him from eating the old gum and cigarette butts he found on the ground. According to Haller, he told her, Look, shes pregnant and she has all these kids, but it was just too much for her. Dabney was born on July 31, 1963 and grew up in Essex County, Va. He had the heart of a lion and graciously allowed me into his circle of friends. Did you at any time strike him? Hess asked. Larry Overton was also charged with murder, but after his wife's conviction, he was offered a plea deal and was given probation. Orra formidable legal mind whose work recently helped exonerate Michael Morton, a Williamson County man who was wrongly convicted of his wifes 1986 murderhad begun preparing a writ of habeas corpus, a last-ditch effort to persuade the courts to review Hannahs case. "Wow, we don't even know where to begin," Hannah Overton told ABC News exclusively after she heard that her case had been dismissed and she would not have to endure another trial. State district judge Jose Longoria, who would oversee Hannahs trial the following fall, would later rule Fernandezs finding of blunt force trauma to be inadmissible because it was not based on sufficient data or reliable methodology. "After further review of all the evidence and meeting with her defense attorneys and everyone involved, my office decided that we're going to dismiss the case and include language in there that would actually indicate that she's not guilty of the charge that we charged her with, or the previous administration," Gonzalez said at the time. She and her Menu. Would you like to offer Jonah Lee Overtons loved ones a condolence message? He didnt drink or smoke, and the bands he listened to sang about glorifying God. Menu. Corpus Christis introduction to Hannah came the following week, when she and Larry were arrested and led past a bank of TV cameras outside the Nueces County jail. Hannah, my sister, Carolyn, and John and I are very sadden to learn about Dabney's passing. Two years later, the Overtons learned that their adoption application had been approved and that Andrew would be joining their family. I wasnt thinking, obviously, or I would have just taken him to the hospital, Hannah told the detective. Whenever he got scaredand there was a long list of things that petrified him, from swimming to large crowds to the sound of balloons poppingthe Overtons worked to help him overcome his fears, reassuring him that they loved him and that he was in safe surroundings. Isaac read John 9 aloud while Larry helped him sound out the difficult words (synagogue, Pharisees). Its about trusting God and seeing how he is a god of redemption and restoration, she said. Larry outside his family's home, in Corpus Christi, on November 22. Another nurse, Dina Zapata, remembered Hannah smirking as she tried to resuscitate him. In a 2012 interview from a Texas prison, Overton told ABC News that during one of the monthly visitations with her children, [Emma] took her first step, I was there. Larry called out that dinner was ready, and we gathered inside around a rough-hewn oak table he had made years ago. Can Andrew be our brother? the girls pleaded. After her shift ends in the late morning, there are letters to write home, in which she tries to stay present in her childrens lives by choreographing what she can from a distance. Yet to find her guilty, theyd had to believe that she knew he would die if she did not get him immediate medical attention. Published in Legacy from Nov. 11 to Nov. 12, 2009. EMTs and hospital staff had vigorously poked and prodded the boy as they attempted to revive him, first at the clinic, then in an ambulance, then at Christus Spohn Hospital, where he was initially taken, and finally at Driscoll, where he was transferred to the intensive care unit. My husband enjoyed sailing with him at FBYC and running into him during a few running events in Richmond. I asked Hannah if her faith had been shaken by Andrews loss and the suffering that she and her family had experienced. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. We report on vital issues from politics to education and are the indispensable authority on the Texas scene, covering everything from music to cultural events with insightful recommendations. "I could never thank my attorneys enough for fighting endlessly to prove my innocence and bring me home," she said. The passenger side of their old Ford van was not equipped with an air bag, and Hannah, who had pulled down her seat belt so she could turn to talk to the kids, was jolted forward, her face hitting the dashboard. OBITUARY - HANNAH OVERTON (HUNTINGDONSHIRE) Bowls England regrets to inform you that former Women's Junior International captain Hannah Overton passed away on 23rd December at the age of 28, after. So it is the context and the totality of the injuries that worried me. The Overtons have said they believed he instead had a rare medical conditioncalled hypernatremia that caused the fatal sodium levels. It has been a long time since I saw Dabney last. "We cannot say thank you enough for all who have helped especially the attorneys who worked endless hours to prove my innocence and gain my freedom," Overton told ABC News today. I realized that it was something serious . My sons in high school now. "God is so good!," Overton wrote in the social media post. The burden on the state to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt was, Gilmore told me, perhaps less than it should have been. Overtons current defense attorney, Cynthia Orr, told ABC News she was thrilled to get the call from Skurka announcing his motion to dismiss had been granted by the judge. The detective had been alerted to Andrews grave condition when the boy was transported to a nearby hospital the previous afternoon and, as was protocol, had begun looking into the circumstances surrounding the boys unusual and rapid decline. OVERTON, Dabney III, died peacefully on Monday, November 9, 2009 surrounded by family and friends. Throughout the trial, Eastwood had suggested that the Overtons had withheld food as part of a larger pattern of abuse, and as she addressed the jury, she insisted that Andrew had scavenged for food because he was hungry. Although he hung back when his siblings embraced their parents in group hugs, Larry and Hannah learned that if they asked Andrew to join in, he would do so enthusiastically, throwing his arms around them. That was the most uncomfortable service I have ever done. Dear Overton Family and Friends of Dabney. The following week, Hannahwho had no history with CPS and no previous arrests, and had never had so much as a parking ticketwas charged with capital murder. I look forward to them reclaiming their childhoods unburdened by involvement in such serious adult matters.. She looked after dozens of children, including my grandchildren, and in all the years she was here, I cant recall one negative thing being said about her, the commissions founder, Joe Fauss, told me. Myron attended Longfellow elementary, Panama Union and Kern But law enforcement and emergency medical personnel who treated Andrew thought otherwise. Those charges were not considered double jeopardy because Overtons conviction was overturned by the higher court on the basis of ineffective counsel, which granted her a new trial. He displayed hyperactive behavior and possibly had some cognitive delays as well. The doctors assessment of Andrew as developmentally delayed was significant because it dovetailed with Hannahs testimony. A more thorough investigation would have uncovered ample evidence to suggest that Andrew had an undiagnosed eating disorder, raising the possibility that he had unintentionally consumed too much salt on his own. I am so sorry to hear about Dabney. You can send your sympathy in the guestbook provided and share it with the family. Perplexed, Larry installed a baby monitor equipped with a video camera in the boys room so that he and Hannah could observe if Andrew was wandering into the kitchen at night. Hannahwho had already lost a child and was now living apart from her four older oneswas in a fragile state of mind. If he was denied a second or third helping, he would routinely throw a tantrum or get down on his hands and knees to scavenge the floor for crumbs. If not for a Corpus Christi couple named Larry and Hannah Overton, Andrew might have lingered in state custody, shuffled from one foster home to another. He delivered sermons to a small but devoted following that met every Sunday, and during services he also played guitar. -- Sarah Albiston, I enjoyed working with Dabney from time to time. A committed Christian, he had gone on mission trips with his family since he was a child, including a fourteen-month stint in Papua New Guinea and several treks across Mexico. My friend Dabo - thanks for the fun at Washington and Lee but mostly for these last few years when your selflessness and wisdom were refreshing to see and experience. Estelle and John In October 2006 a four-year-old from Corpus Christi named Andrew Burd died mysteriously of salt poisoning. Afterward, she instinctively looked back to check on the children, not realizing that her face was covered in blood. CPS launched its initial investigation into Andrews well-being shortly after his first birthday, when his mother took him to a local hospital with a broken arm. Dabney will be missed by many. There was a dead child, he observed. Impatient to return to the boys bedside, she gave a hurried, disjointed account of the day that omitted critical details, such as how she had found Andrew in the pantry unattended, and she made only fleeting mention of his unusual eating habits. — -- Murder charges against Hannah Overton, a south Texas mother of five who had been convicted in the 2007 salt poisoning trial in the death of her foster son, have been dismissed by the . It was Emma whom Hannah was pregnant with when Andrew died, and she is the child Hannah knows least. How had Hannah, who was six months pregnant and recovering from whiplash, managed to overpower Andrew? He was loved by many for his gentle nature and loyalty. The prosecutions most persuasive testimony came from Rotta, the pediatric critical care specialist who had originally expressed concern that Andrew had been mistreated. Round-trip, the journey is 632 miles. There were the charred remnants of his Spider-Man sheets in the fire pit. I was truly saddened to hear of Dabney's passing. A church elder, who was himself an adoptive parent, invited the Overtons to dinner one night and encouraged them to consider bringing Andrew into their home. Hannah Overton from Fengate was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia shortly after a match in July with the Parkway Bowling Club which plays its home matches in Maskew Avenue. As a frequent witness for the state in child abuse cases, Cortes was not in the habit of reaching out to defense attorneys, but he was so angered by the verdict that he picked up the phone. If you would like a copy via email, please let me know. It was, Hannah and Larry would later remember, one of the happiest times in their lives. I know he will be missed by all his family and friends. He was such a kind person and always had a smile on his face. I am truly shocked and saddened to hear of Dabney's passing. He was a good friend and a great dancer!! Andrews former foster mother, Sharon Hamil, who was devastated by the boys death, testified that Andrew had not exhibited significant developmental or behavioral problems, aside from his speech delay, during the time that he lived with hera characterization that was rebutted by numerous members of Calvary Chapel later in the trial but that cast Hannahs credibility into doubt. And we do have some evidence of bruising to his nose [which could indicate] his nostrils were squeezed and he was made to drink it.. The experience had affected her deeply, and she told Larry that she was willing to adopt a child with disabilities or an older child who had been unable to find a permanent home. She reported Andrews unusual eating habits to his adoption supervisor when she visited the Overton home on September 25. We thought that he would stop turning to food for comfort when he learned that he could trust us.. But I was frustrated. In other words, if the jury could not agree conclusively that she had poisoned Andrew, it could still rule that she was guilty of capital murder by omission, or by failure to act. We have a child that was well until that afternoon, that had behavioral issues, that was having temper tantrums, that was then given something . Cortes believed that Andrews death was accidental. I regret that I didnt push harder from the beginning to find out what was wrong with himthat I believed his problems were just due to his previous abuse and neglect, and that, when I finally decided he needed to see a doctor about his pica, we didnt get him in quicker. When I pressed her to explain why she and Larry had not called 911, she leaned forward, as if pleading with me to understand. His mothers and fathers parental rights were terminated soon after he turned three. He was an avid sailor who was active in the Fishing Bay Yacht Club and raced with the crew of La Maga. Lane earned her college degree and became an elementary school teacher, while Hannah played with, and later babysat, the children of missionaries who used the campus as a home base between trips abroad. Witnesses outside the home said they had seen Andrew's bizarre habits, too. My husband, Tom, and I were deeply saddened to hear of Dabney's sudden passing. Dabney was born on July 31, 1963 and grew up in Essex County, Va. Instead we were arrested.. He felt at ease around her; his favorite thing to do was sit on her lap and rest his mouth on her cheek, and she gladly obliged. She could not recall later what, exactly, he had been holding in his hand. Despite Eastwoods zeal, there were still basic questions that the prosecution could not explain. An Unforgettable Texas Tale of Envy, Embezzlement, and Fruitcake, How the Texas Rangers Became One of the Most Powerful Forces in the State. More:Hannah Overton, family celebrate her pregnancy months after she's declared innocent in boy's death. Hannah R. (Saem) Overton . The intentional poisoning of a child is usually perpetrated with sedatives, anticonvulsants, or medications like injectable insulin, not food, he told me. I remember many lively discussions with Cabell and Dabney about the history of Virginia and North Carolina. Im supposed to be done crying, she said apologetically at one point, brushing away tears. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Victory Junction, 4500 Adam's Way, Randleman, NC 27317, https://victoryjunction.org or the Charlotte Humane Society, 1348 Parker Dr., Charlotte, NC 28208, https://humanesocietyofcharlotte.org, in Pete's name. After he completed his probation, the charges were dismissed. He was a very quiet and caring man. Hannah was seven when Saenz was arrested in 1984 and charged with a singularly horrific crime: the bludgeoning death of a sixteen-year-old girl whose nude body was discovered at the waters edge on Padre Island. Here are the tributes to Jonah Lee Overton. I never saw Hannah be anything but patient and loving with all the kids, the now-married mother of two told me. The cause of death was determined to be salt poisoning, an extremely rare occurrence that, in children, results from either a child inadvertently ingesting too much salt or a caretaker deliberately forcing the child to do so. But both mother and daughter are doing fine. Nueces County District Attorney Mark Skurka had charged Overton a second time for murder after her release. "I'm very thankful that this compensation is finally coming through," Overton told ABC News. Sending a prayer to all his family & friends. It is with deep sorrow that we announce the death of Jonah Lee Overton (Charlotte, North Carolina), who passed away on January 21, 2023, at the age of 92, leaving to mourn family and friends. Taken together, the disparate details formed a disturbing picture. Andrew spent his first night at the Overtons modest ranch-style house on Mothers Day, when he was two months shy of his fourth birthday, and he seemed to quickly grow attached to his new family. He would have been witness number one for the defense, Gilmore told me. Yet her life behind bars, however incongruous, has taken on its own rhythm. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. CORPUS CHRISTI - Early on Oct. 3, 2006, the morning after her neighbor Hannah Overton had rushed a dying 4-year-old boy to a nearby urgent care clinic, Kathi Haller got a visit from police. My prayers to the family. My infrequent visits to my home of Richmond were always highlighted when I ran into Dabney and spend some time to catch up with one another. The very dilute gastric sodium contents suggest . He was a Southern Gentleman and true Virginian who touched the hearts of many. Hannah and Larry had taken her in after her marriage ended in divorce, giving her their extra bedroom while she got back on her feet. He served as president of the School of Law. We met when he was helping her move. Nueces County jurors believed she failed to seek medical care for her foster son in a timely manner. . Copyright 2023 GRB Studio | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Standing just five feet tall, with wide-set brown eyes, a girlish laugh, and a warm, easy manner, Hannah was almost childlike herself.
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