I wish you and your family my sincere condolences. Hess became exasperated. Share Obituary. 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. After examining Andrews medical records, he had determined that the boys death was likely accidental. Please know that you all are surrounded by love, no matter how great your grief. It was like they were arresting Bonnie and Clyde, Gilmore said. Forrest Wilder writes about politics and the outdoors. She and her husband Larry lived in Corpus Christi, Texas, and served faithfully in their church. Left: Andrew and Isabel playing together. 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. Died Feb. 18, 2003 Mrs. Nettie Sue Overton, 78, Florence passed away Tuesday at Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital. Gemma Mitchell, a phlebotomist, recalled overhearing Hannah tell medical staff that Andrew had stopped breathing after he was punished. No one could corroborate her story, and under cross-examination, she admitted that she had never told anyone this fact until taking the stand. Dabney was born on July 31, 1963 and grew up in Essex County, Va. Our thoughts, hugs and prayers are with you. Did you at any time strike him? Hess asked. He was the first one to introduce me to kayaking from Aylett to Walkerton on the Mattaponi. He was kind, he was gentle, he had a great smile. The family will receive friends Tuesday, November 23, 2021 from 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at Cullman Funeral Home. 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. The very dilute gastric sodium contents suggest . According to her family tree, she married Larry D. Overton on August 9, 1997 in Texas . The following day, family court judge Carl Lewis awarded temporary custody to Hannahs mother and stepfather. Not long afterward, Larry and Hannah heard about Andrew at their church, Calvary Chapel of the Coastlands, which Andrews foster mother also attended. Hannah was always drawn to stray people.. I wish you and your family peace in this difficult time. Hannah Overton Archives - Texas Monthly 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. He seemed a peaceful man. 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. I worked with Dabney in the mortgage industry a few years ago and he was everything you described. At Sunday school, he became more expressive, stringing words into sentences and holding hands with his new sister Ally. 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]. Larry hurried home to help, but Andrew, who had been vomiting, only grew worse. I worked with Dabney at Browder Russell just after he graduated from W & L, and saw him often at FBYC. Its about trusting God and seeing how he is a god of redemption and restoration, she said. His foster mother, Hannah Overton, was charged with capital murder, vilified from all quarters, and sent to prison for life. They asked us, Can you pray that we have discernment and wisdom in helping him through this?. — -- 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. I pick out the games and I make the decorations, if I can. She devotes most of her evenings to Bible studies, leading groups of inmates through careful examinations of Scripture. If anything had been wrong, I would have known it, she insisted. He enjoyed everything he did, was always friendly and supportive. Hannah Overton spent seven years in prison until her conviction was overturned. The world was a better place because of him. I made sure that he saw that we had an identical set of Spider-Man sheets so he would calm down., That evening Larry laid a sleeping bag on top of Andrews plywood bed frame, where, he told the boy, he would have to spend the night while his mattress finished drying. There are really no words. DABNEY OVERTON OBITUARY OVERTON, Dabney III, died peacefully on Monday, November 9, 2009 surrounded by family and friends. 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. 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. 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. 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. Dabney was a great guy. . Larry turned them down. That was the most uncomfortable service I have ever done. While he was relieved not to have to serve prison time, the discrepancy between his wifes punishment and his own left him stupefied. 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. . But as devoted Christians, their desire to adopt a foster child was rooted in faith more than in practicality. She had been released on bond in December after a Texas appellate court overturned her conviction and life sentence for the death of 4-year-old Andrew Burd, the child Overton and her husband, Larry, were in the process of adopting before he died. We lived in the same neighborhood a few years back and after meeting at the Dog Park, spent some great time together running, kayaking and meeting for a few cold ones at Melitos. Jonah Lee Overton Obituary 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. Pam Rooker. They had 4 children and were expecting their fifth. An attorney-client relationship will arise between you and our firm only if we specifically agree to act for you. She is amazing!". Dabney and I had spirited conversations about baseball. He will be remembered fondly. He was a supportive friend to so many people, including me. Sending a prayer to all his family & friends. There are two phones that the kids can speak into, and they eagerly pass the receivers back and forth, recounting the months events in stereo. Andrew was a sweet boy who had significant neurological and developmental disorders. Death, Burial, Cemetery & Obituaries Search; Sponsored by Ancestry. During the consultation the attorney can discuss whether our firm can assist you. Hannah would never harm a child. Even setting aside her loyalty to her friend, the detectives theory made no sense to her. Or had the tragedy claimed its second victim? Dabney was born on July 31, 1963 and grew up in Essex County, Va. I feel so fortunate to have spent time with him. 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. Overton's original trial attorneys admitted at an appeals hearing that they had made errors. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Because we were not thinking we were in a life-or-death situation, she insisted. Hannah liked the tall, serious-minded student who shared the same hopes she had of creating a life centered on children and Christian outreach. He was preceded in death by his mother, Hannah Spencer Haile Overton and infant brother, Charles. Last year, new District Attorney Mark Gonzalezfiled a motion toofficially declare her innocent. Overwhelmed, the Overtons sought guidance in prayer. Channel Three, Channel Six, Channel Ten, the Caller-Timesthey all knew ahead of time, Gilmore said. (More shocking details on abuse suffered by four-year-old before death, began one breathless report.) (Haller, their next-door neighbor, has since moved to Houston.) Andrew flew into a rage. The sheets were filthy, and he was getting poop everywhere. Hannahwho had already lost a child and was now living apart from her four older oneswas in a fragile state of mind. The nondenominational church, on the south side of Corpus Christi, drew many young evangelicals with its emphasis on a verse-by-verse understanding of the Bible, and Larry and Hannah were well-regarded members. 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. 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. Hannah: i was and remain so sorry to hear about Dabney's unfortunate death. Because he was vomiting? 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. I am so sorry to learn of Dabney's passing. The case boils down to a woman who basically tortured a child, Eastwood continued. Anne Turner Overton Haile died peacefully at home in Portland, Oregon on December 7, 2021. According to Hannah, Andrew once again asked for an early lunch, and once again, when she told him that he would have to wait, he defecated and smeared feces across the floor. Larry, who was sitting behind her, broke down. (A former pastor of Hannahs had advocated reprimanding children when they were dishonest by putting a single red pepper flake on their tongues.) Hey dear, so sorry to hear this newstake care of yourself and your familythinking of you!! 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. So I got to see that.. January 21, 2023 Andrew accompanied his foster mother to services every Sunday, and with his thatch of blond hair and beaming grin, he was hard to miss. . (Andrew was told that he could not have any food at McDonalds, since he had already eaten.) Im supposed to be done crying, she said apologetically at one point, brushing away tears. Echovita offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families. You can ask, Why didnt she go to the hospital sooner? but in hindsight, everything is obvious. Being in the Overtons home had afforded Werkhoven an intimate view of the family. 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. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? My heartfelt sympathy goes out to his family and many friends. Hoping to show him that his behavior was self-destructive, Larry told Andrew one morning that he could have as much as he wanted for breakfast. Absolutely not, Hannah shot back. The prosecutions most persuasive testimony came from Rotta, the pediatric critical care specialist who had originally expressed concern that Andrew had been mistreated. She is also pregnant with her sixth child. It came as a shock when I got the call from Peter Detlefs letting me know that Dabney had passed away. 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. I will take that trip and take my friends spirit with me. Report an error or add more information about this case. Mr. Overton was also very active in the local chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous. So she had to find a way out. (Hess did not respond to interview requests for this article but has previously denied Hallers version of events.) 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 As Andrews condition deteriorated, CPS barred the Overtons from visiting their son. 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. That Larry is able to be with the children at all, much less raise them, is a huge blessing, he told me. information about the Registry, False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Official Misconduct, Inadequate Legal Defense. Overton spent seven years in prison for the murder of a young foster child that she says she didn't commit. He acted more like a toddler than a preschooler, they noted; if he wanted an object, he pointed to it and grunted. 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. She left nursing behind, channeling her energy instead into raising the large family she had always wanted. Most striking to the Overtons, and to their neighbors and friends, was his preoccupation with eating. I dont see what caused the high salt content. Always with a Northern Neck Gingerale for me--I still can't buy a 12 pack without thinking of him. I kept denying that Hannah could do such a thing, she told me. The Carvers, like most members of Calvary Chapel, never doubted her innocence. An Unforgettable Texas Tale of Envy, Embezzlement, and Fruitcake, How the Texas Rangers Became One of the Most Powerful Forces in the State. Make sure relatives of Jonah Lee Overton know they have sympathy messages here. Isaac read John 9 aloud while Larry helped him sound out the difficult words (synagogue, Pharisees). I didnt realize the seriousness of the situation. Eastwood questioned how Andrew had come to have scratches on his neck. 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.
