That was the most uncomfortable service I have ever done. The Huntsville Times. He was preceded in death by his mother, Hannah Spencer Haile Overton and infant brother, Charles. On October 2, 2006, 29-year-old Hannah Overton and her husband, Larry brought Andrew Burd, their four-year-old foster son whom they were in the process of adopting, to a hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas after the boy stopped breathing. 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. (In his 32 years of practicing law, Gilmore told me, he has never run across the charge of capital murder by omission before or since.) Anita and John Its free. Death, Burial, Cemetery & Obituaries Search; Sponsored by Ancestry. Dabney and I had spirited conversations about baseball. Both Larry and Hannah had done missionary work, and as a teenager, Hannah had spent holidays volunteering at an orphanage across the border, in Reynosa, where she had fed, bathed, and ministered to kids who had been living on the streets. I am so sorry to learn of Dabney's passing. 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. Standing just five feet tall, with wide-set brown eyes, a girlish laugh, and a warm, easy manner, Hannah was almost childlike herself. He would have been witness number one for the defense, Gilmore told me. We shared wonderful times together as we mused over Rumi and different flavor ice creams. "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. Hannah Overton announced the birth of her sixth child, Gabriela Aliana, this week in a Facebook post that described a difficult delivery. Sue and I were certainly saddened to learn of the death of Dabney. Today I will thank God that I knew Dabney, if only a little. 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. But after the girls, the Overtons conceived their fourth child, Sebastian. (Hannahs mother and stepfatherwhom the courts had named managing conservators of the childrenwere then able to return them to Larrys custody.) They asked us, Can you pray that we have discernment and wisdom in helping him through this?. Nevertheless, the idea that Andrew had sustained a head injury propelled the case forward, further casting Hannah as an abuser. A Right-wing Cabal Took Over Odessas Municipal Government. Search by Name. There was a dead child, he observed. 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. But was this churchgoing young woman a vicious child killer? 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. She and her Menu. After drinking a little, he threw another tantrum that continued unabated for twenty minutes. In October 2006 a four-year-old from Corpus Christi named Andrew Burd died mysteriously of salt poisoning. 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. Good-night kisses, bedtime stories, playing in the yard, birthdays, loose teeth, Christmas plays . She is amazing!". Dabney was born on July 31, 1963 and grew up in Essex County, Va. We have a child that was well until that afternoon, that had behavioral issues, that was having temper tantrums, that was then given something . He was a nice guy. The original prosecutor in the Overton case, Sandra Eastwood, was terminated for reasons unrelated to this case years after the trial concluded. The boys symptoms that afternoonvomiting, chills, and lethargyinitially suggested to the Overtons that he had a routine ailment, like a stomach bug. Copyright 2023 GRB Studio | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions He had the heart of a lion and graciously allowed me into his circle of friends. Not long afterward, Larry and Hannah heard about Andrew at their church, Calvary Chapel of the Coastlands, which Andrews foster mother also attended. On their honeymoon, they stopped at the orphanage in Reynosa, where Hannah wanted Larry to meet some of the children she had told him so much about. Share Obituary. 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. She's since createdSyndeo Ministries tohelp prisonerstransition back into society. It was a catastrophic decision. I look forward to them reclaiming their childhoods unburdened by involvement in such serious adult matters.. 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. I always knew I'd be able to catch up with him on occasion at the Village Starbucks. Hannah managed to clean him up, but when she reiterated that he would have to wait until lunchtime to eat, he defecated on the floor again. We were having a hard time, but we knew it was going to pass. His foster mother, Hannah Overton, was charged with capital murder, vilified from all quarters, and sent to prison for life. Four months later, on October 2, 2006, Andrew fell suddenly and acutely ill while he was alone with Hannah. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. However, that didn't stop us from having friendly and lively conversations about the greatest game. In the midst of the chaos that followed, no one recognized how distressed Andrew was by the sight of Hannahs bloodied face. 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. And anyone who loves dogs as much as Dabney did is a special soul indeed. Then, as always, Hannah had been composed, despite the strain she was under. One woman said she didnt want to work with a child killer, Larry told me.) 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. Would you like to offer Jonah Lee Overtons loved ones a condolence message? — -- 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 . Against the backdrop of possible abuse, authorities wasted little time. Veteran defense attorney John Gilmore, whom the Overtons had retained using funds raised by their church, was stunned to learn of the arrests from reporters, who called asking for comment. I knew Dabney from years ago when we played softball together. I would often see him riding with all the dogs in the back of the car. Hannah, we are all so sorry for the loss of your brother. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this difficult time., With love and warm memories of our Cousin Pete. As Andrews condition deteriorated, CPS barred the Overtons from visiting their son. 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. Our lives are richer having known him. Much loved daughter of Andrew and Susan, dearly loved sister of. Sister Overton grew up in Tuscumbia and lived most of her life in Florence. 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. The Registry also maintains a more limited database of known exonerations prior to 1989. Fernandez determined that the boy had died as a result of acute sodium toxicity, with blunt force head trauma as a contributing factor. (You can just tell by looking at her how evil she is, one wrote.) He acted more like a toddler than a preschooler, they noted; if he wanted an object, he pointed to it and grunted. Yet the Overtons were not too concerned. Then District Attorney Mark Skurka dropped the case. Left: Hannah Overton at the Murray Unit, west of Waco, on November 21, 2011. The states case would be predicated in part on the findings of Ray Fernandez, the Nueces County medical examiner, who ruled Andrews death to be a homicide. A very special person has been taken from our midst and is and will be greatly missed. 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. He called Hannah and Larry Mommy and Daddy, and he followed Larry everywhere he went, often stepping on Larrys heels as he trailed after him. At Hannah Overtons 2007 trial, the prosecution portrayed her as a mother who had lost control. Beginning next year, she will also receive an annuity. I feel honored to have shared his presence. We spoke last Tuesday about a biking trip we had plan in the spring to Cherokee,N.C. Anne Turner Overton Haile died peacefully at home in Portland, Oregon on December 7, 2021. Shortly afterward, at three-thirty, Hannah called Larry and asked him to come home since Andrew was vomiting and she needed his help. There was a time when I questioned how God could allow this to happen, she 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. Dabney was one of those people that are angels without wings. I remember many lively discussions with Cabell and Dabney about the history of Virginia and North Carolina. Weeping, they told the children that their brother had gone to be with Jesus. And given that abuse and neglect during the first year of life can profoundly affect behavioral development, they were not surprised that Andrew was different. (A subsequent investigation by the attorney generals office found that no crimes had been committed. Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Todd Yates/AP Photo, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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. Overton was released on bond in December 2014 after a Texas appellate court overturned her conviction and life sentence. Sometimes he cried inconsolably for hours. He found that they fit a narrow profile: they were between the ages of one and six, they had been in the foster system or were from abusive homes, and they had pica. His foster mother had taken him to a pediatrician for an adoption screening shortly before he had come to live with them, and the checkup had raised no red flags. It is a small thing for one who has suffered so greatly.". He was predeceased by : his parents, Theodore Roosevelt 'Jack' and Annie Overton of Washington; and his wife Claudia Cotten. She had a way with Michael that even my wife and I didnt completely understand, his father, Richard, told me. Rotta stopped short of describing the manner in which he believed Andrew had been made to eat a lethal amount of salta dose that, after analyzing Andrews blood, he determined would have consisted of 23 teaspoons of Zatarains Creole Seasoning or 6 teaspoons of salt. The case boils down to a woman who basically tortured a child, Eastwood continued. Moritz, in fact, had been asked to testify as an expert witness for Hannahs defense at her trial. Larry called out that dinner was ready, and we gathered inside around a rough-hewn oak table he had made years ago. . Larry outside his family's home, in Corpus Christi, on November 22. We had known each other for ten years, and I dont think Id ever seen her mad, Haller told me. I first met him shortly after the death of my husband 4 years ago and his kind, gentle spirit and wonderful sense of humor made such a difference at that time and ever since. a few minutes before we actually took him in, she testified. Overton had to have a blood transfusion and her new. Overton has accused Eastwood of acting unethically in her case, something Eastwood has denied repeatedly. 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. The writ is the final opportunity a defendant has to introduce new evidence into the record. Nueces County jurors found she'dfailed to seek timely medical care for the boy. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. DABNEY OVERTON OBITUARY OVERTON, Dabney III, died peacefully on Monday, November 9, 2009 surrounded by family and friends. Both sides worked hard independently to determine the truth and achieve justice for the Overton family, the entire family. It was later believed the boy suffered a rare medical condition called hypernatremia, which can cause fatal sodium levels in the body. He seemed to enjoy having brothers and sisters to play with, and the Overton kidsespecially the girls, who doted on himwere enthralled by the new arrival. Before the family returned home, Andrew asked if he could have lunch, and Hannah told him that he needed to wait; Larry was bringing them something to eat, she explained, and he would be back in a few minutes. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. December 22, 1930 - The Overtons are nurturing, loving, patient, and very family-oriented, an adoption supervisor noted in her paperwork. Patricia Sharpe writes a regular restaurant column, Pats Pick, for Texas Monthly. Andrew continued eating until he threw up. 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. 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. If convicted, Hannah would receive an automatic life sentence. How had Hannah, who was six months pregnant and recovering from whiplash, managed to overpower Andrew? 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 . According to juror number three, a high school English teacher named Margaret Warfield, that was not the case. All he needs is lots of love and attention, she told Larry. I was blessed to know him, and his family is in my prayers. I will always remember Dabney's love of animals, nature and good music. 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. 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. Leave them blank to get signed up. 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. Hannah R. (Saem) Overton . OVERTON, Dabney III, died peacefully on Monday, November 9, 2009 surrounded by family and friends. They chattered about an upcoming birthday party and discussed the merits of their favorite colors, finishing each others sentences between slurps of soup. Dabney will be missed by a wide range of supportive friends and family. May your memories bring you comfort. I think I'll always remember him as simply super cool himself. One of the recent fundraising efforts involves providing "chill towels" to incarcerated women this summer because most Texas prisons are without air conditioning. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Dabney's memory to Aylett Country Day School, P.O. 1 x 120' / Produced for Discovery Networks. Does God want a child to go to bed hurting, in pain, fearful, being looked at by closed-circuit television? 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. "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. The Overtons rushed him to a nearby urgent care clinic after his breathing became labored and he stopped responding to their questions, but by the time they arrived, he had fallen unconscious. 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. Rather than let him remain in his wheelchair most of the day, as previous caretakers had done, Hannah kept him moving; she took him into his familys pool to stretch and used massage to loosen his contracted muscles. News reports that followed, prominently featuring their grim-faced mug shots, cast the Overton home as a house of horrors. H-E-Bs True Texas BBQ Restaurant Is Slipping, West Texans Are Learning What It Means to Live in Bear Country. The congregation quickly dissolved. Obituary - Middle Island, L.I., December 5 - Mrs. Hannah M. Overton died yesterday morning after a short illness. He recalled how Michael used to chew on his fingers, a chronic problem that left his skin bloody and raw. 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. . 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. He was a supportive friend to so many people, including me. memorial page for Hannah Ester Hall Overton (1660-1732), Find a Grave Memorial ID 160804572; Burial Details Unknown; . Hannah was always drawn to stray people.. Despite appearances, however, he was hardly a reprobate. 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. Afterward, she instinctively looked back to check on the children, not realizing that her face was covered in blood. Hess was allowed to return to the force and is now a patrol sergeant. What a great sense of comfort to know that I could be greated on the other side by such a kind person. Its somebodys worst nightmare, Hannah Overton told ABC News in an earlier interview. The very dilute gastric sodium contents suggest . 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. 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. Finally, Jimenez stated, I do not believe that there was sufficient evidence to indicate that Hannah Overton intentionally killed Andrew Burd. In response, Eastwood penned an affidavit, asserting that she did not engage in any misconduct. At the clinic, she continued giving him mouth-to-mouth and chest compressions until paramedics took over, but the four-year-old lay motionless. 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. 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. I knew Dabney through my daughter. Obituaries Section. . At 4 a.m., she reports to the laundry, where she folds shirts and hands out clean clothes to inmates. Yet to find her guilty, theyd had to believe that she knew he would die if she did not get him immediate medical attention. The Overtons have said they believed he instead had a rare medical conditioncalled hypernatremia that caused the fatal sodium levels. By that point, they had already been shown numerous photos of Andrews small, bruised body postmortem. Hannah: i was and remain so sorry to hear about Dabney's unfortunate death. Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. January 21, 2023 He will be dearly missed. I worked with Dabney at Browder Russell just after he graduated from W & L, and saw him often at FBYC. 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.