We thought that he would stop turning to food for comfort when he learned that he could trust us.. Published in Legacy from Nov. 11 to Nov. 12, 2009. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. Hannah would never harm a child. Even setting aside her loyalty to her friend, the detectives theory made no sense to her. Then he asked for more. The three oldest Overton children had gone to their aunts house to see their cousins, who were visiting from out of town, and Andrew grew increasingly agitated and restless, throwing a tantrum at three oclock in the morning. Updated: June 20, 2015 . Love Carl Robertson, My thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of grief. If he had Downs, that was the blessing that God had chosen to give us, Larry said. Hannah - Please accept our sincere condolences on your loss. Our paths crossed later in life and we renewed our friendship. The Huntsville Times Homepage. — -- 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 district attorney. It was like they were arresting Bonnie and Clyde, Gilmore said. The defendant has portrayed herself as a nurturing Christian woman, Eastwood proclaimed. Larry and Hannah were granted supervised visits. Andrew had never been diagnosed with pica, Rotta reminded jurors. Andrew was not a normal child, Cortes explained to me. One paramedic recounted how he had seen two sores on Andrew that looked to me like cigarette burns because they were round. Another paramedic also believed the sores were cigarette burns, though he admitted he had only looked at them from a distance. Fernandez, the medical examiner, said he had observed burnlike scarring on Andrews arm that had likely been caused by contact with a hot surface. But neither Larry nor Hannah smoked. He seemed a peaceful man. The death of a childparticularly a sudden, unexplained death in which abuse is suspectedevokes strong emotions, even among seasoned investigators, doctors, forensics experts, and prosecutors. But Hannah, who was bewildered by Andrews condition, had no ready answers. Patricia Gonzalez, a nurse at the urgent care clinic, told the jury that Hannah had not behaved like a panic-stricken parent and had had a smile on her face as she performed CPR on the boy. In October 2006 a four-year-old from Corpus Christi named Andrew Burd died mysteriously of salt poisoning. A funeral for Andrew followed at Seaside Memorial Park, alongside Corpus Christi Bay, at which Pastor Rod Carver officiated. He was a loyal Red Sox Nation member and I a Yankees Universe devotee. Thendistrict attorney Jimenez did not publicly disclose the reasons for the termination, but it occurred one week after Eastwood informed her superiors that she had been romantically involved in the past with a sex offender; she reported that she feared the information had been used by the offenders defense attorney to get him probation in a criminal case. 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. Dabney will be missed by a wide range of supportive friends and family. CPR had also been performed for an extended period by Hannah and later by medical personnel, who had squeezed the boys nose and administered chest compressions for 35 minutes. Share Obituary. Or had the tragedy claimed its second victim? Forrest Wilder writes about politics and the outdoors. Although Cortes had been scheduled to testify for the prosecution, he was never put on the witness stand. The entire Davila family sends our heart felt condolences to Dabney's family. He and the kids return home the same day so that he can teach Sunday school the next morning. As he grasped for the right words to convey the depth of pain a parent feels over the loss of a child, he noticed a row of unfamiliar faces. Thats what Im trying to get you to tell me. With no obvious explanations to consider, he focused his attention on Hannah. Dabney was loved and treasured for his gentle nature, ready smile, and intelligent wit. Its free. The Corpus Christi Caller-Timess online comments section filled with the vitriol of readers, some of whom called for Hannah to receive the death penalty. A church member who homeschools her daughters educates the Overton children, using lesson plans Hannah sends her. She was born April 24, 1945 to Dabney Overton Sr. and Henrietta Mallory Overton and grew up in Warsaw, VA. She was graduated from St. Margaret's School in 1963 where she was awarded the Bishop's Prize all four years. And thanks for the movie, even though it was kind of weird. (During the third week of the trial, moments before the case was sent to the jury, Eastwood had asked Judge Longoria if she could call Cortes as a rebuttal witness, but the judge, who had grown impatient with the length of the trial, denied her request.) Dabney was born on July 31, 1963 and grew up in Essex County, Va. Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Todd Yates/AP Photo, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. When a four-year-old from Texas died mysteriously of salt poisoning, his foster mother, Hannah Overton, was charged with capital murder and sent to prison for life. Once a month, Larry loads the kids into his van and they make the trip together, although on those visits, no contact is allowed. See production, box office & company info. Early in the pregnancy, Hannah and Larry were informed that the boy would likely have Down syndrome. Why Does He Get to Make That Call? 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. Although the adoption agency that had worked with CPS to find Andrew a home had described him as developmentally on target except for his speech delay, Larry and Hannah observed otherwise. Ive seen doctors and nurses freeze up when a patient comes in convulsing or in extremis, he said. Hannah Overton passed away in Peterborough, Lincolnshire. Good-night kisses, bedtime stories, playing in the yard, birthdays, loose teeth, Christmas plays . If someone was trying to murder Andrew, they would have restrained him and prevented him from drinking water, Moritz subsequently wrote in an affidavit. Larry attempted to restore order upon his return, putting Andrews soiled sheets in the garbage and hosing off the boy and his foam mattress in the backyard. He moved unsteadily, and he was so clumsy that Hannah had him wear a life jacket whenever he splashed around in their inflatable kiddie pool. I kept denying that Hannah could do such a thing, she told me. There's also a pen pal program and Overton is often featured inFacebook videos in which she talks about ways to help women in prison. Obituaries Section. Hannah Spencer Overton (born Haile) in FamilySearch Family Tree Hannah Overton in U.S. Social Security Death Index (SSDI) Hannah Spencer Haile in MyHeritage family trees (Baker Family Site (23andMe)) view all Immediate Family Private ex-spouse Private child Hannah Overton Tiffany daughter Private child Edmond Ware Haile father Irene Margarite Tyler Does anybody remember that? I remember him as a fun loving gentle person that loved life. The family will receive friends Tuesday, November 23, 2021 from 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at Cullman Funeral Home. In loving memory of Jonah Lee Overton, May God wrap his loving arms around you until we meet again. The jury found that Mrs. Overton failed to procure medical care within a reasonable time frame, she wrote in an affidavit that was later filed with Hannahs appeal. The Overtons were returning from a visit to the obstetricians office, where they had brought the children to find out whether the baby they were expecting was a boy or a girl. My two boys will remember him always as "that tall man with the super cool motorcycle". She had studied years earlier to be an EMT, she explained, and although she had never worked as a paramedic, she had felt confident in her training. Emma, the youngest, trailed behind them with a doll, occasionally running inside to bang on the piano. Andrew was a sweet boy who had significant neurological and developmental disorders. In the midst of the chaos that followed, no one recognized how distressed Andrew was by the sight of Hannahs bloodied face. He hoarded food and sometimes ate from the trash, she warned, and he threw intense temper tantrums, which could be tamed only by holding and rocking him. With her first husband, whose name was Stephens, she lived in Iowa, and had one daughter. He was a nice guy. But was this churchgoing young woman a vicious child killer? Dinner was potato soupIts good and filling, and its cheap, Larry told mewhich the kids dived into after saying grace. Hannahs supporters included a young churchgoer named Dawn Werkhoven, who had lived with the Overtons the year leading up to Andrews death. He was a supportive friend to so many people, including me. They considered adopting a nine-year-old girl who was deaf, but when, after much prayer and deliberation, they decided to move forward with the adoption, they learned that the girl had been placed with another family. Share Dabney's life story with friends and family. Hannah Overton announced the birth of her sixth child, Gabriela Aliana, this week in a Facebook post that described a difficult delivery. As Andrews condition deteriorated, CPS barred the Overtons from visiting their son. He will be missed. Hess suspicions had developed the previous evening during an interview with Hannah, who had consented to talk to him without an attorney present. His mothers and fathers parental rights were terminated soon after he turned three. A memorial service will be held at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Miller's Tavern, Va. on Sunday, November 22nd at 2 p.m. — -- 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 . . The prosecutions most persuasive testimony came from Rotta, the pediatric critical care specialist who had originally expressed concern that Andrew had been mistreated. probably to punish his behavior, that then goes into cardiorespiratory arrest.. 2023 www.caller.com. By the time Hannah took the stand, jurors appeared to have made up their minds. I remind them that the Lord loves him more than anyone could and he is with Him now and we will see him again someday.. Hannahwho had already lost a child and was now living apart from her four older oneswas in a fragile state of mind. At the time of his retirement, he was one of the three oldest practicing attorneys in the Commonwealth. Sitting in the courtroom, she tried to explain how she had failed to recognize that Andrews condition was life-threatening. She's since createdSyndeo Ministries tohelp prisonerstransition back into society. In the eyes of law enforcement, Hannah and Larry were not grieving parents but perpetrators of an appalling crime. We met when he was helping her move. 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. Daniel Vaughn is the countrys first barbecue editor, and he has eaten more barbecue than you have. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Not until Sebastian was born did doctors discover that his only impairment was a hole in his heart, which healed on its own. He recalled how Michael used to chew on his fingers, a chronic problem that left his skin bloody and raw. Report an error or add more information about this case. The Overtons daughters, four-year-old Isabel and three-year-old Ally, reported back to their parents that the new boy in their class needed a family. Larry and Hannah knew that Andrew loved Spider-Man, so they made sure to have all manner of Spider-Man-themed necessities for him: sheets, pajamas, a toothbrush, a towel, a swimsuit, and even a plate embossed with the superheros image. It has been a long time since I saw Dabney last. ), As the Overtons wait on the appellate courts, Larry goes about the task of raising their five children, while also trying to rebuild his business. on our list, Other I spent many nights beating myself up over Could I have done this or could I have done that? Hannah told me, staring at her hands.