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. When she refused to give him a second helping, he threw a tantrum and shouted, I hate you! Finally, Hannah resorted to sprinkling some Zatarains into a sippy cup of water, hoping that the taste alone would appease him. Larry taught Sunday school, Hannah led a Bible study, and their children, whom Hannah homeschooled, attended youth group and socialized with other members kids. Leave your condolences to the family on this memorial page or send flowers to show you care. Our lives are richer having known him. Dabney was born on July 31, 1963 and grew up in Essex County, Va. Dear God, thank you for the soup, Isaac said, his head bowed, his eyes closed tightly. 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. Nueces County jurors found she'dfailed to seek timely medical care for the boy. I was one of those who was lucky enough to share a friendship with this kind, strong and loving man. By the time Hannah took the stand, jurors appeared to have made up their minds. The boy was diagnosed with a toxic salt overdose and died the following day. The newly discovered documents, Moritz later told me, were a monumentally important piece of evidence., The discovery soon exposed strains among the prosecution team. When Andrew started breathing funny, she told Hess, she had administered asthma medication with a nebulizer, hoping to open up his airways. Overton was convicted of capital murder after being accused of force-feeding Burd enough sodium to kill him. Hannah and the girls, who complained of feeling achy, were taken to the hospital in an ambulance while Larrys parents picked up the rest of the family and, after dropping Larry off at the hospital, took the boys to a nearby Whataburger. (A former pastor of Hannahs had advocated reprimanding children when they were dishonest by putting a single red pepper flake on their tongues.) In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Dabney's memory to Aylett Country Day School, P.O. When Emma took her first steps, Larry brought her to the parking lot outside the county jail so that Hannah could watch from her cell above. 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. Round-trip, the journey is 632 miles. Looking for any information that might bolster the appeal, Orr requested access to the prosecutions case file. Search by Name. Sitting in the courtroom, she tried to explain how she had failed to recognize that Andrews condition was life-threatening. 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. With her first husband, whose name was Stephens, she lived in Iowa, and had one daughter. Why Does He Get to Make That Call? To never have been producedit was very strange.. Shortly after noon, Larry picked her and the boys up and took them to a McDonalds drive-through, and then the chiropractor, before returning to work. The defense presented the jury with a medical mystery. If anything had been wrong, I would have known it, she insisted. He was kind and gentle with me, and he made himself available no matter how busy he was. Ill put it this way. 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. Hannah, my sister, Carolyn, and John and I are very sadden to learn about Dabney's passing. We were in it for the long haul.. At Andrews request, he made a plate of sausage and more than a dozen eggs, all of which the boy eagerly devoured. He was such a kind person, always with a smile on his face and a warm hug. I may harbor doubts, but a jury heard this case and made a decision, and everyone has to respect that decision, he told the Express-News. It seemed to me, based upon the wording of the charge, that we had no choice but to find her guilty of capital murder. But, Warfield added, I do not believe that Mrs. Overton knew that her actions (or lack thereof) would kill Andrew Byrd [sic]. So it is the context and the totality of the injuries that worried me. Hess was allowed to return to the force and is now a patrol sergeant. Before we ever tried to adopt, we had been warned that this was going to be difficult, that this was not going to be the Little Orphan Annie story, Larry told me. 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. Zion Church of the Brethren. Exhausted from the previous night, she briefly dozed off, then awoke to discover that Andrew had slipped out of the room. She believed that Andrews eating habits were not the stuff of pathology but those of a growing boy. "I'm very thankful that this compensation is finally coming through," Overton told ABC News. And thanks for the movie, even though it was kind of weird. In 2011, Overtons appellate attorney, Cynthia Orr, filed a state petition for a writ of habeas corpus seeking a new trial. 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. Because he felt cold? He suspected that as the boys condition worsened, Hannah had fallen victim to what he calls stress blindness, a phenomenon he had witnessed many times during his 42 years of practicing medicine. Mr. Overton was also very active in the local chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous. Andrew liked to eat every day, all day, any time, she said. The sheets were filthy, and he was getting poop everywhere. That perception would throw her other children into the investigation as well. 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. My only hope is that I will see him again. His mother was just sixteen, the file shows, when she gave birth to him in Corpus Christi on July 28, 2002. 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. Sister Overton grew up in Tuscumbia and lived most of her life in Florence. She was always smiling, always laughing. As a teenager, she was captivated by missionaries stories of serving in far-flung places, and she began going on group mission trips herself, once venturing as far as Romania. They declined to do any further chromosomal testing and turned to prayer instead. He was preceded in death by his mother, Hannah Spencer Haile Overton and infant brother, Charles. Fleeing for Your Life? 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. 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. Larry and Hannah caught him trying to eat cat food, crayons, toothpaste, glow sticks, tufts of carpetinganything he could get his hands on. In loving memory of Jonah Lee Overton, Dabney was one of those people that are angels without wings. 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. She's since createdSyndeo Ministries tohelp prisonerstransition back into society. Send your deepest condolences with fresh flowers. Andrew was a sweet boy who had significant neurological and developmental disorders. Other witnesses testified that they had detected signs of abuse. I wasnt thinking, obviously, or I would have just taken him to the hospital, Hannah told the detective. Against the backdrop of possible abuse, authorities wasted little time. Left: Andrew and Isabel playing together. Not the brightest thing to do, Larry conceded. She had only one sibling, a brother who was seven years her junior, and a father who was largely absent from her life. Some people love stray animals, remembered her mother, now remarried. At the time, Overton had four children and was pregnant with a fifth, and had no prior trouble with the law. Haller was stunned by the accusation. More:Hannah Overton, family celebrate her pregnancy months after she's declared innocent in boy's death. I fear she may have purposely withheld evidence that may have been favorable to Hannah Overtons defense, Jimenez wrote in her letter, which Orr would include in the writ. Meanwhile, those who once pursued Hannah with such certainty have undergone their own trials. 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.. We shared wonderful times together as we mused over Rumi and different flavor ice creams. In October 2006 a four-year-old from Corpus Christi named Andrew Burd died mysteriously of salt poisoning. 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. 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. The defendant has portrayed herself as a nurturing Christian woman, Eastwood proclaimed. Dabney was a great guy. She is awakened every morning at 2:45 a.m., rarely sleeping well; the overhead light above her bed never shuts off, and announcements blare throughout the night over the loudspeaker. Andrew seems very happy in this home.. 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. You can send your sympathy in the guestbook provided and share it with the family. We were having a hard time, but we knew it was going to pass. We have a child that was well until that afternoon, that had behavioral issues, that was having temper tantrums, that was then given something . Hess and a group of CPS workers were standing in the back with dark glasses on, their arms crossed, scowls on their faces, Carver said. See production, box office & company info. Hannah was less impressed, given that Larrywho, at sixteen, was an enthusiastic fan of Christian punk rockwas sporting a nose ring and a blue mohawk. They also discovered that Hannah was pregnant again. 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. He enjoyed everything he did, was always friendly and supportive. I came in the morning, and I left in the evening. He will be remembered fondly. Hannah Overton and her family spend Christmas together for the first time in seven years. "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. Hess remained skeptical of Hannahs account. Peace be with you, Dabney. 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. Before he left, Haller recalled his saying, You might want to prepare for the media.. The world was a better place because of him. But was this churchgoing young woman a vicious child killer? Overton spent seven years in prison before the Texas Court of Appeals overturned her capital murder charges on September 17, 2014. "I could never thank my attorneys enough for fighting endlessly to prove my innocence and bring me home," she said. 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. The Overtons are nurturing, loving, patient, and very family-oriented, an adoption supervisor noted in her paperwork. May God bless you and. Its not even a consideration, she said. Larry had also tried to rouse him by giving him a warm bath. Created by: Red; Added: 9 Apr 2016 . At the clinic, she continued giving him mouth-to-mouth and chest compressions until paramedics took over, but the four-year-old lay motionless. His tantrums grew longer and more extreme, and he often banged his head against the floor. There wasnt anything that I thought was dangerously wrong with him at that point. 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. He was a very sweet and kind person. -- Sarah Albiston, I enjoyed working with Dabney from time to time. 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. Anita and John Just as she had hoped, they would have six children. Katy Vine has been a staff writer since 2002. I worked with him at Branch, Cabell many years ago. In October 2006 a four-year-old from Corpus Christi named Andrew Burd died mysteriously of salt poisoning. Funeral service for Wendell Leon Overton, 81, of Cullman, will be 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, November 24, 2021 in the Cullman Funeral Home Chapel. If someone was trying to murder Andrew, they would have restrained him and prevented him from drinking water, Moritz subsequently wrote in an affidavit. I always knew I'd be able to catch up with him on occasion at the Village Starbucks. Im a pretty easygoing guy, but I remember thinking, Six kids? Larry told me. How had Hannah, who was six months pregnant and recovering from whiplash, managed to overpower Andrew? Throughout the meal, Andrew repeatedly asked, Is my mom okay? He also kept requesting more food. Obituary - Middle Island, L.I., December 5 - Mrs. Hannah M. Overton died yesterday morning after a short illness. The daughter of a pastor and a homemaker, she had grown up longing for the companionship and boisterous energy of the big, churchgoing families she saw around her. I am a better person for knowing him. 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. An Unforgettable Texas Tale of Envy, Embezzlement, and Fruitcake, How the Texas Rangers Became One of the Most Powerful Forces in the State. Hannah - Please accept our sincere condolences on your loss. 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. Make sure relatives of Jonah Lee Overton know they have sympathy messages here. Cynthia Hujar-Orr, Gerry Goldstein and John Raley were apart of Overton's appellate team that helped overturn the . The Overtons live in East Texas and told ABC News they have housed and supported prisoners after their release through their non-profit organization, Syndeo Ministries. She is also pregnant with her sixth child. Forrest Wilder writes about politics and the outdoors. The website is updated daily, frequently with exonerations that occurred in the past. I kept denying that Hannah could do such a thing, she told me. Overwhelmed, the Overtons sought guidance in prayer. OVERTON, Dabney III, died peacefully on Monday, November 9, 2009 surrounded by family and friends. 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. Only Hannah had been able to break through. But just as the prosecution could not show exactly how Hannah had forced Andrew to ingest a lethal dose of salt, neither could the defense give precise details for how the four-year-old had come to have so much sodium in his body. You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. 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. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Hannah Overton spent seven years in prison until her conviction was overturned. Yet the jury had never heard from him. As you know, Dabney and I had a lot of good times and he was a dear friend and fraternity brother. Relatives, neighbors, and members of the Overtons church pitched in to look after the kids during Hannahs recovery, but the revolving door of caregivers proved to be difficult for Andrew, who began acting out on a scale they had not seen before. 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. The churchs pastor, Rod Carver, and his wife, Noreen, had initially considered taking in Andrew but ultimately decided he was more than they could handle. He seemed a peaceful man. Our condolences to his family and friends. Thats what Im trying to get you to tell me. With no obvious explanations to consider, he focused his attention on Hannah. And Eastwood was fired from the DAs office in 2010. In October 2006 a four-year-old from Corpus Christi named Andrew Burd died mysteriously of salt poisoning. 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. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this difficult time., With love and warm memories of our Cousin Pete. News reports that followed, prominently featuring their grim-faced mug shots, cast the Overton home as a house of horrors. Whats Up With All the Kangaroos on the Loose in Texas? Andrews preoccupation with eating intensified, and he began getting out of bed at night to forage for food in the kitchen. Cortes believed that Andrews death was accidental. Yet if anyone was up to the task, most everyone agreed, it was the Overtons, and Hannah in particular. 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.". We were just waiting for someone to look at it and say this is just an accident, Larry Overton added. However, Judge Longoria could allow the jury to consider a lesser charge if he felt that the evidence did not support capital murder, and after hearing the states case, he did so, telling both the prosecution and the defense that he was willing to let the jury consider manslaughter or criminally negligent homicide. Updated: June 20, 2015 . 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. But at a hearing on the defenses motion for a new trial, Eastwood stated under oath that Cortes had always been a passionate advocate for the prosecution; he had even remarked to her that he thought Hannah should fry. Cortes does not dispute that story. Can College Sports Get More Absurd Than SMU Joining the Pac-12? Or had the tragedy claimed its second victim? She and her husband Larry lived in Corpus Christi, Texas, and served faithfully in their church. I have mitigating testimony that I think would have been very useful to your client, he said in a voice mail he left for Gilmore. At the time of his retirement, he was one of the three oldest practicing attorneys in the Commonwealth. DABNEY OVERTON OBITUARY OVERTON, Dabney III, died peacefully on Monday, November 9, 2009 surrounded by family and friends. Hannah Overton passed away in Peterborough, Lincolnshire. Shortly afterward, at three-thirty, Hannah called Larry and asked him to come home since Andrew was vomiting and she needed his help. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. Regardless of how much food he consumed, he complained that he was hungry. H-E-Bs True Texas BBQ Restaurant Is Slipping, West Texans Are Learning What It Means to Live in Bear Country. Echovita offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families. 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.