He is survived by : his children, Valerie Overton Castano (John), Glenn Overton (Donna) and Allen Overton (Amy); his grandchildren, Morgan Castano Petty (Kyle), Jordan Castano, Zack Castano (Andie), Julia Overton Kahsar (Alex), Alyssa Overton McSteen (Dylan) and Drake Overton; his great grandchildren, Overton Petty, Cotten Petty, Davant Petty, Preston McSteen and Layton Kahsar; his brothers-in-law, Bruce Preston Cotten and Grant Cotten; his friends, Jimmy, Sarah Trado, Joyce, Jerry Dellinger, Betty Jo Mullis and Bob Butler; and also, Scott and Tana Lloyd. Hannah, we met a couple of times, and Dabney and I visited your grandparents several times in Tappahannock. Im supposed to be done crying, she said apologetically at one point, brushing away tears. Dabney and I had spirited conversations about baseball. The defense presented the jury with a medical mystery. My prayers to the family. Andrews preoccupation with eating intensified, and he began getting out of bed at night to forage for food in the kitchen. At four, he spent most of his time playing with Sebastian, who was two, rather than Ally, who was his own age, and his motor skills lagged far behind those of his peers. Receive obituaries from the city or cities of your choice. 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. Every Easter and Christmas holiday was spent at the Reynosa orphanage, whose wards were primarily the unwanted children of prostitutes who worked the nearby red-light district. The Overtons moved forward with the adoption process, and in the spring of 2006, they received word that Andrew would be coming to live with them for a six-month trial period before the adoption was finalized. Hannah R. (Saem) Overton was born c. 1977. Benign conditions and life-threatening conditions look the same in the beginning, he said. Hannah Overton, a south Texas mother of five whose wrongful conviction for the 2006 death of her foster son was overturned last year, is expected to receive over $500,000 in compensation from the state for the years she spent in jail. I feel at such a loss, as do all of us who were fortunate enough to have been graced with Dabney's presence. Fire Ants Have Unleashed Chaos in Texas for Decades. Yet according to the unusual wording of the jury charge, jurors had to believe just one of two scenarios to find Hannah guilty: that she deliberately made Andrew ingest a lethal amount of salt or that she purposely neglected to get timely medical attention, knowing that this would kill him. Obituary | Alton Overton | Ashby Funeral Home He served as president of the School of Law. 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. Until then, she said, Andrew was doing nothing that my other kids hadnt done with the flu. With guns drawn, police officers had surrounded Hannah and Larrys car as they returned from an errand, forcing them to the ground and handcuffing them. During a wide-ranging interview with a social worker to determine if he had ever been abused, Isaac mentioned that he and his siblings had been given pepper, which he described as spicy stuff, as a punishment for lying. Unlike the three physicians who had testified for the prosecution, Cortes was the only doctor who had seen Andrew before his hospitalization; he had evaluated the boy during a routine checkup when Andrew was three years old and still living with Hamil. . Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. Moritz is the clinical director of pediatric nephrology at the Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh, where he specializes in childrens kidney diseases. 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.. Dabney and I were great friends while I lived in Richmond back in the late 80s - Browder,Russell days. Nettie Overton Obituary (2003) - Huntsville, AL - The Huntsville Times The obituary was featured in Peterborough Telegraph on January 3, 2019. Why Does He Get to Make That Call? I pray that you will bring Mom home soon.. (Like Eastwood, neither Norman nor Jimenez would comment for this article.) One of her favorite books to revisit is Ruth. But after Hannahs conviction, the DAs office offered him several plea deals, each of which required him to acknowledge that he had intentionally caused Andrews death. We thought that he would stop turning to food for comfort when he learned that he could trust us. To try and curtail Andrews compulsive eating, they put him in time-outs, though to little effect. Andrew flew into a rage. Before they started a family, Hannah worked as a private-duty nurse for disabled children, and her longest assignmentwith a four-year-old named Michael Subialdeabecame as absorbing to her as her time in Reynosa. We were in awe.. Hannah understood little of what had taken place except that she, her mother, and her brother had to leave Corpus Christi behind. They were not allowed to be at Andrews bedside on the evening of October 3, when he experienced massive organ failure. I am over the moon that Hannah has been granted compensation by Texas for her wrongful imprisonment, Orr told ABC News. Make sure relatives of Jonah Lee Overton know they have sympathy messages here. But had jurors fully understood the decision they had been asked to make? Heritage Funeral Home 3700 Forest Lawn Dr, Matthews, NC 28104, Weddington Methodist Church 13901 Providence Rd, Weddington, NC 28104. But as devoted Christians, their desire to adopt a foster child was rooted in faith more than in practicality. I knew Dabney from the Richmond Athletic Club. Its not even a consideration, she said. Dabney was loved and treasured for his gentle nature, ready smile, and intelligent wit. We truly thought his obsession with food was a behavioral issue, not a medical one, Larry said. Detective Hess was put on administrative leave in 2008 after it came to light that he had disclosed confidential information to the suspect in an ongoing investigation for indecency with a child. It should be noted that during the entire conversation, Hannah Overton showed almost no emotion, he later wrote in his police report. They said Andrew was going through a very difficult time, she said. He was loved by many for his gentle nature and loyalty. The particulars of her crime, as sketched out by the prosecution, were vague; assistant district attorney Sandra Eastwood, a passionate child advocate, conceded in opening arguments that she was not sure how Hannah had made Andrew eat so much salt. He has carried us through.". Hannah Overton Archives - Texas Monthly Finally he agreed to plead no contest to criminally negligent homicide. The Overtons are nurturing, loving, patient, and very family-oriented, an adoption supervisor noted in her paperwork. No amount of money will ever bring back the years that were taken away, and the seven years of freedom I lost. Hannah and Andrew - Texas Monthly He was predeceased by : his parents, Theodore Roosevelt 'Jack' and Annie Overton of Washington; and his wife Claudia Cotten. 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. A colleague of mine who attended the trial told me that the prosecution described Andrew again and again as a normal child, and that is a great distortion of the truth. Todd Yates/Corpus Christi Caller-Times/AP. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this difficult time., With love and warm memories of our Cousin Pete. Murder Charges Dropped Against Hannah Overton, Texas Mom - ABC News "We are so excited about all God has done in and through all of this. 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 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Dabney will be missed by a wide range of supportive friends and family. His foster mother, Hannah Overton, was charged with capital murder, vilified from all quarters, and sent to prison for life. There was Andrews bedjust a bare piece of plywood, with no mattressand a security camera, as the baby monitor was later called at trial, trained on it. Im very thankful that this compensation is finally coming through, Overton told ABC News. Within hours of Andrews arrival at the hospital, the Overtons home had been searched, and soon more facts seemed to bolster the notion of abuse. Sifting through it one afternoon, Orr came across documents she had never seen before, which showed that Andrews stomach contents did not have an elevated amount of salt when he arrived at the urgent care clinic. Before Hannah got married, when she was still Hannah Saenz, she knew she wanted a large familyat least six kids, she used to tell people. Dabney was a great guy. Although Cortes had been scheduled to testify for the prosecution, he was never put on the witness stand. Hannah must sit on the opposite side of a metal divider, behind Plexiglas. A pediatric critical care specialist who treated Andrew at Driscoll, Alexandre Rotta, grew equally troubled. 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. Overton, who has long maintained her innocence, spent seven years in prison for the young childs death. A state judge has rejected claims by Hannah Overton that she was wrongly convicted of capital murder in 2007 because prosecutors withheld exculpatory evidence, her lawyers were ineffective . It was founded in 2012 in conjunction with the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern University School of Law. His mothers and fathers parental rights were terminated soon after he turned three. Larry was charged with injury to a child for failing to get Andrew timely medical attention. Overton has accused Eastwood of acting unethically in her case, something Eastwood has denied repeatedly. As Larry stood in the kitchen and peeled potatoes, the kidsexcited to have a visitorshowed me around their house, pointing out their favorite hiding places and the plaster cast of their footprints in the hallway, which includes the letter A for Andrew. That official statement granted her access to state funds that are provided to the wrongfully convicted and also prevented her from being tried for the crime again. Hannah went into labor with her first child, Isaac, at the Subialdeas house, and though she had planned to come back to work after her sons birth, she found the separation from him too wrenching. Copyright 2023 GRB Studio | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions She found him standing on a stool in the pantry, near the baking ingredients, having pulled something off the shelf. Its about trusting God and seeing how he is a god of redemption and restoration, she said. During the consultation the attorney can discuss whether our firm can assist you. He and Noreen had recently lost their own son, who had been stillborn, making his grief particularly acute. She is also pregnant with her sixth child. Following college, he worked as a financial consultant and more recently as a consultant for Terrestar Networks. on our list, Other The Carvers, like most members of Calvary Chapel, never doubted her innocence. If anything had been wrong, I would have known it, she insisted. Despite all the pain, she told me that if she could do it over again, she would not change their decision to bring Andrew into their home. They had also watched the video of Hess questioning Hannah, during which she described calling a paramedic friend in Oklahoma for guidance when the boys condition deteriorated, and even using her cameras flash to check if his pupils were reactive, but never calling for an ambulance. Despite Eastwoods zeal, there were still basic questions that the prosecution could not explain. I wouldnt give up that time we had with him and that he had with us., As we sat across from each other in the dayroom, Hannah and I discussed her case and the anguish that had consumed her following Andrews death. 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. He left me with that gift. Hannah Overton recently reunited with her husband, Larry Overton, since being released on bond last week. Hannah Overton announced the birth of her sixth child, Gabriela Aliana, this week in a Facebook post that described a difficult delivery. If you would like a copy via email, please let me know. Anne Turner Overton Haile died peacefully at home in Portland, Oregon on December 7, 2021. Larry hurried home to help, but Andrew, who had been vomiting, only grew worse. There were the charred remnants of his Spider-Man sheets in the fire pit. . The key issues in this case were knowledge and intent, and his opinion went directly to those issues. Hannahs attorneys would later argue on appeal that the doctors opinionthat Hannah had never intended for the boy to dieamounted to exculpatory evidence that the state had withheld from the defense. He will be remembered fondly. New medical evidence shows that Hannah Overton did not force her 4-year-old foster son Andrew Burd to ingest large amounts of salt, causing his death in 2006 and her to serve a life sentence. Cynthia Hujar-Orr, Gerry Goldstein and John Raley were apart of Overtons appellate team that helped overturn the conviction. I knew Dabney years ago while living in Richmond. . Estelle and John My husband, Tom, and I were deeply saddened to hear of Dabney's sudden passing. You and your family will be in our thoughts and prayers in the coming weeks. To the Overton's; Please accept my deepest sympathy and condolences for your loss. He was such a kind person, always with a smile on his face and a warm hug. Short on time as the trial drew to a close, the defense had asked Moritzwho needed to return to Pittsburghto sit for a videotaped deposition; when the deposition ran long and could not be completed, the defense was unable to enter it as testimony. More:Hannah Overton, family celebrate her pregnancy months after she's declared innocent in boy's death. I was convinced that we were in the presence of a crime.. I feel sad. I worked with him at Branch Cabell years ago and also lived down the street from him for a while. The Overtons already had four children, and Larrys incomehe installed landscape lightingwas barely enough to make ends meet. Their arrests came so quickly after Andrew died, they said, that they had no time to grieve for the boy they hoped to permanently make a part of their family. (Haller, their next-door neighbor, has since moved to Houston.) At Hannah Overtons 2007 trial, the prosecution portrayed her as a mother who had lost control. The Registry provides detailed information about every known exoneration in the United States since 1989cases in which a person was wrongly convicted of a crime and later cleared of all the charges based on new evidence of innocence. Meanwhile, those who once pursued Hannah with such certainty have undergone their own trials. Dabney will be missed as one of the "regular" offshore racing crew members at Fishing Bay. Our lives are richer having known him. Hannah did describe how she and Larry had at first tried to treat the boys symptoms themselves, often volunteering more information than the detective had asked for. Pam Rooker. (A subsequent investigation by the attorney generals office found that no crimes had been committed. Those were great times. My only hope is that I will see him again. But I was frustrated. They speculated Andrew might have had pica, an eating disorder characterized by an obsessive appetite and that Andrew accidentally poisoned himself by consuming a fatal amount of sodium. Please call me at your earliest convenience.. I know he will be missed by all his family and 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. Dear God, thank you for the soup, Isaac said, his head bowed, his eyes closed tightly. On several occasions his fits had grown so extreme that she had resorted to asking a male parishioner to physically remove him from the classroom until he could regain self-control. In his role as single dad, he is aided by his extended family and his many friends from Calvary Chapel, who pitch in to do cleaning, grocery shopping, laundry, and babysitting. 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. Death, Burial, Cemetery & Obituaries Search; Sponsored by Ancestry. Andrew was a sweet boy who had significant neurological and developmental disorders. Until Proven Innocent (2016) - IMDb The paperwork Orr now forwarded to him, which showed that Andrews stomach contained a great deal of water, only confirmed the clinical directors initial conclusion. . How can one person get probation and another get life without parole for the same thing? Larry said. Hannah Overton and her family spend Christmas together for the first time in seven years. Does God want a child to go to bed hurting, in pain, fearful, being looked at by closed-circuit television? Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. He was a good guy and a good friend. Dear Overton Family and Friends of Dabney. She's since createdSyndeo Ministries tohelp prisonerstransition back into society. He had a speech disorder called echolalia, which is one of the things we see typically in children who have autism spectrum disorders. But what Ive realized is that I can trust his heart, even though I dont understand his plan. The reality that Hannah, who is 34, may spend the rest of her life in prison for capital murdera sentence usually reserved for violent criminals who pose a continuing threat to societyis one she is still struggling to understand; even harder to grasp is the possibility that she might never be reunited with her children. This is a child that came in [to the emergency room] in cardiopulmonary arrest and was dying. I asked Hannah if her faith had been shaken by Andrews loss and the suffering that she and her family had experienced. A funeral for Andrew followed at Seaside Memorial Park, alongside Corpus Christi Bay, at which Pastor Rod Carver officiated. Her bedroom was just a few feet away from the childrens rooms, which were always open; their doors had been removed so that the kids could easily come and go as they pleased. Good-night kisses, bedtime stories, playing in the yard, birthdays, loose teeth, Christmas plays . "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. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. The kids took me out back, where they jumped on the trampoline and played hide-and-seek in the salt grass. All he needs is lots of love and attention, she told Larry. 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. The kids now range in age from four to twelve, and when I visited them late one afternoon, not long after I had seen Hannah, they seemed unencumbered by the tragedy that had engulfed their family. Financially, the accident had come at a precarious time; Larry had recently purchased his bosss landscape lighting business, and he needed to put in long hours just to make ends meet. Advertisement. Then he corrected himself. I dont see what caused the trauma to the brain, he said. What little is known about Andrew Burds early life is contained in a slim Child Protective Services case file that chronicles the boys descent into the child welfare system. Prosecutors had accused her of givingthe boy a mix of water and spicy seasoning that contributed to the high levels of sodium in his system. "I'm very thankful that this compensation is finally coming through," Overton told ABC News. She and Larry were under tremendous financial strain, she admitted, but she stressed that they had rushed for help as soon as they realized how critical Andrews condition was. 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. Hess became exasperated. Andrew liked to eat every day, all day, any time, she said. Several crossed their arms; others looked away. And when he became less responsive, she had pulled out her old EMT books to assess what was wrong. His tantrums grew longer and more extreme, and he often banged his head against the floor. 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. Hannah shrugged off the teachers warnings, certain that Andrew would improve once he had the stability of a permanent home. His foster mother, Hannah Overton, was charged with capital murder, vilified from all quarters, and sent to prison for life. Peace be with you, Dabney. They get to see her for two hours, once a monthtwenty-four hours in a year, Larry said. To the Overton Family and friends of Dabney: I first met Dabney in the fall of 1972 when he was in fourth grade at Aylett Country Day School. Hannah Overton, far right, sits next to her attorney, Cynthia Orr, center, and prosecutor, Doug Norman, April 26, 2012, in Corpus Christi, Texas. At a subsequent family court hearing, in which Hannahs civil attorney argued that she should be given access to the infant so that she could continue nursing her, Judge Lewis returned Emma to her parents, but with conditions. Dabney OVERTON Obituary - Death Notice and Service Information Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Yet the jury had never heard from him. Report an error or add more information about this case. But law enforcement and emergency medical personnel who treated Andrew thought otherwise. Katy Vine has been a staff writer since 2002. Then, in the spring of 2010, Hannahs appellate attorney, Cynthia Orr, made a startling discovery. Andrew continued eating until he threw up. Andrews behavior worsened that September, after the family was involved in a car accident. How had Hannah, who was six months pregnant and recovering from whiplash, managed to overpower Andrew? I wish you and your family peace in this difficult time. Updated: June 20, 2015 . Overton, 38, was convicted in 2007 after being accused of force-feeding young Andrew Burd enough salt to kill him, even though she had no previous problems with the law and was raising four children and was pregnant with a fifth. I plan their birthday parties from here, she told me. 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. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? He died at 9:30 p.m. I visited Hannah at the Murray Unit one bright, cloudless afternoon, when the warden granted her a few hours to speak with me. Any God, Christian or not, would have wanted a better mother for Andrew.. Mr. Overton continued in private practice until the age of 80. probably to punish his behavior, that then goes into cardiorespiratory arrest.. If I failed in my duties of disclosure before the Hannah Overton trial (which the record corroborates I did not), then so did Ms. Jimenez., Orr filed the writ in April 2011, and soon afterward San Antonio Express-News reporter John MacCormackwhose reporting has raised questions about the fairness of Hannahs convictionmade a routine call to the office to gauge the reaction to the recent developments in the case. We had known each other for ten years, and I dont think Id ever seen her mad, Haller told me. I am so sorry to learn of Dabney's passing. He was always happy, Hamil testified. And its full of great reads, yall. There was a time when I questioned how God could allow this to happen, she said. The information on this website does NOT constitute legal advice and you may not rely on it as such. An Unforgettable Texas Tale of Envy, Embezzlement, and Fruitcake, How the Texas Rangers Became One of the Most Powerful Forces in the State. 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. He inspired me to take up running, and to go from owning 1 dog to 2! I was just trying to fix itto do anything I could to fix my baby, she said. ), 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. Afterward, she instinctively looked back to check on the children, not realizing that her face was covered in blood. The children liked to hang out in her room and talk to her, particularly Andrew, who always visited her for an extra hug before bedtime. Instead we were arrested.. Hannah, we are all so sorry for the loss of your brother. The thoughts and prayers of your co-workers are with you and your family. Left: Hannah Overton at the Murray Unit, west of Waco, on November 21, 2011. I think I'll always remember him as simply super cool himself. Hannah Overton, family celebrate her pregnancy months after she's declared innocent in boy's death, Hannah Overton, supporters chant 'Actually innocent' after capital murder dismissal, Nueces County DA to dismiss Overton case, declare woman innocent, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. But law enforcement officials are accustomed to handling child abuse cases, not medical mysteries, and salt poisoning is rare enough that most emergency room doctors will never encounter a case during their careers. I am truly saddened to hear of Dabney's sudden passing. Former prosecutor Anna Jimenez, who had assisted Eastwood as second chair at Hannahs trial, subsequently wrote a letter to Orr claiming that a sheaf of medical records that Eastwood had asked her to fax to an expert witness before trial had not included the documents that Orr had uncovered. I knew Dabney through my daughter. We were just waiting for someone to look at it and say this is just an accident, Larry Overton added. Larry taught Sunday school, Hannah led a Bible study, and their children, whom Hannah homeschooled, attended youth group and socialized with other members kids. Hannah was sure I would eventually come around. He was an example to many by the way he lived his life and his loyalty to those values that determine a true friend. Hey dear, so sorry to hear this newstake care of yourself and your familythinking of you!! 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. I came in the morning, and I left in the evening. There are really no words. At the clinic, she continued giving him mouth-to-mouth and chest compressions until paramedics took over, but the four-year-old lay motionless. Here are the tributes to Jonah Lee Overton. The way it was explained to me, thats how I would be charged if I accidentally ran a stoplight and hit somebody, he said. When people are under severe stress, their judgment becomes poor., Cortess perspective was revelatory. Mom convicted in salt poisoning death to get nearly $600K for wrongful According to Overtons attorney, Cynthia Orr, the Texas comptroller told Overton on Tuesday that she would receive a check for $573,333.33 as compensation her for her wrongful incarceration. — -- 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. The world was a better place because of him. Larry Overton was also charged with murder, but after his wife's conviction, he was offered a plea deal and was given probation. "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. Hannah, I am very sad to hear this news. 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. The following day, family court judge Carl Lewis awarded temporary custody to Hannahs mother and stepfather. Larry and Hannah caught him trying to eat cat food, crayons, toothpaste, glow sticks, tufts of carpetinganything he could get his hands on. Dabney is survived by his sister, Hannah Overton; and nieces Emma and Lizzie Schmidt, all of Tappahannock; a half-sister Mallory Overton McKendry of Jacksonville, Fla.; and his father, Dabney Overton Jr. of Harrisonburg.
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