Name: Chance Vanderpool.
Died: November 22, 2016.
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Multiple traumatic injuries.
Location: Glen St. Mary, Florida, USA.
Disability: Autism.
Details:
Paramedics found Chance not breathing, covered in bruises. He was declared dead at the hospital. His mother said he had fallen down some stairs and hit his head in the shower; but the two eventually pleaded no contest to charges of fatally abusing the boy.
Case status:
Jonathan Register (Mother’s boyfriend), pleaded guilty to aggravated negligent homicide and aggravated child abuse, sentenced to 30 years.
Heather Naomi Stevenson (Mother), convicted of manslaughter and conspiracy to commit manslaughter, sentenced to 25 years.
Source:
Autism Memorial: Chance Vanderpool
The Baker County press
Mother of deceased autistic boy faces child abuse charges
Baker Sheriff investigating death of 4-year-old autistic boy
Arrest made for the death of 4-year-old autistic boy in Baker
4-year-old child with autism dies; Baker County man charged with child abuse of sibling
4-year-old boy with autism dies in Baker County
Baker County child with autism dies; Man charged with abuse of sibling
Man accused of abusing 2-year-old after sibling dies
Aggravated manslaughter charges filed against autistic boy’s mother and her boyfriend
Police: Couple burns, bruises, beats autistic child to death, and abuse little brother found with ‘genital bruising’
Mother of autistic boy, her boyfriend charged with manslaughter
Baker County couple charged with manslaughter in autistic boy’s death