Mother whose foster son, 4, died of salt poisoning back in court (Hannah Overton)

Mail on Line ^ | April 27, 2012 | Rachel Quigly

[patriot08]

Hannah Overton was charged with capital murder, found guilty and handed down a life sentence.

This week the 35-year-old was back in a Texas courthouse to try and get her capital murder conviction overturned and convince a judge she did not intentionally poison the four-year-old but that he did it to himself.

The defense argued that Andrew had Pica an eating disorder characterized by an obsessive appetite. Overton and her husband told ABC's 20/20 that the boy would eat anything he could get his hands on.

The day he collapsed in their home, Andrew was found in the pantry by Overton but she could not discern what he had been eating. He threw a tantrum before vomiting and passing out. Instead of calling 911, the Overtons tried to help him before driving him to the hospital. Prosecutors said she neglected to get Andrew medical help fast enough knowing that it would kill him

She (Overton's prosecutor, Eastwood) was terminated in an unrelated matter years after the trial but has since admitted she was taking diet pills at the time and being an alcoholic.

Eastwood's co-counsel at the time of trial, Anna Jimenez, testified this week saying Eastwood was not 'truthful', and that she exhibited bizarre behavior throughout the case.

Ms Jiminez told the court: 'I was concerned there was a possibility that Sandra may have been withholding this [evidence] intentionally.'

Edgar Cortes - who treated Andrew the year before he died - and said he told Eastwood the boy had speech and developmental problems, expressing shock he was portrayed as a normal boy in the original trial.

Overton's attorney asked Dr Cortes: 'Do these developmental delays make him younger, make him in danger of accidentally harming himself by eating bad things?' to which he replied yes.

[Drew68]

You know, I’m amazed more people aren’t interested in what was done to this young mother.

I've never even heard of this story until now and I see from the hannahoverton keyword that this appears to be the only article about this case posted at Free Republic.

Sounds like the prosecution was on a witch hunt.

[patriot08]

I have personally posted the Overton case once before and recall another FReeper posting it once before.