Andrew Burd, 4, Died From Salt Poisoning; Court Affirms Hannah Overton's 2007 Conviction
By JUJU CHANG and SHANA DRUCKERMAN
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas, Oct. 29, 2009
Hannah Overton, 32, a devout Christian and mother of five kids, is serving a life sentence in a Texas prison for killing her 4-year-old adopted son, Andrew Burd. Her husband, pastor and scores of fellow parishioners have argued her innocence for years despite her conviction.
Now, after nearly two years behind bars, her appeal to the 13th District Court of Appeals has been denied.
In its decision, the court concluded that "a rational jury could have found beyond a reasonable doubt that Overton intentionally caused A.B.'s [Andrew Burd's] death by either of the theories alleged by the state, and that Overton was aware that her conduct of failing to provide or seek medical care was reasonably certain to cause A.B.'s death. Therefore, we conclude that the evidence was legally sufficient to support a finding that Overton either intentionally or knowingly caused A.B.'s death."
When 4-year-old Andrew Burd arrived at a hospital in critical condition in the fall of 2006, doctors didn't have a clue what was wrong with him. Blood tests soon revealed that he had salt poisoning, or hypernatremia. Andrew's levels were off the charts -- almost double the norm and among the highest ever recorded.
Doctors turned to Hannah Overton, then a 29-year-old pregnant mother of four, who was in the process of adopting Andrew. She told them Andrew had thrown a fit that afternoon after he'd been fed a full lunch. Instead of giving him more food, she said she put a few dashes of creole seasoning in a sippy cup of water.
http://www.abcnews.go.com/2020/appeal-denied-mom-accused-salt-
poisoning/story?id=8946690
Emphasis added by H4K Editor
|