ADRIEN HICKERSON - 21 Months - Memphis TN

A couple has been charged with aggravated child abuse after their 21-month-old son died Wednesday at the hospital.
Adrien Hickerson was taken to LeBonheur Children's Hospital in
extremely critical condition Tuesday and was diagnosed with abusive head
trauma. He died the following day.
Sabrina Hickerson told investigators she flew into a rage when the little boy became defiant.
Memphis police say the 22-year-old and the boy's father Gary
Hickerson may face additional charges after the Medical Examiner issues
an autopsy report.


In court Friday, a judge denied Gary Hickerson's request to attend his son's funeral.
"You would think in a country where we're presumed innocent that
perhaps the judge would have done so," said Gary Hickerson's attorney
Joseph Osment. "However, the judge declined to let him go to his own's
son funeral."
A police report confirmed the child collapsed while home alone with
his mother. Sabrina Hickerson told officers her child was made to
perform "exercise discipline" which she described to them as "smoking."
She told police she has "uncontrollable rage over the child's behavior
and may have harmed him."
Gary Hickerson is facing the same charges because according to the
state he knew his son was being abused by his wife, but he did nothing
to prevent it.
Loved ones called Adrian Hickerson a hero. His donated organs have already saved lives around the country.
"He's going to be a help to so many other's lives," said his
grandmother Annette Hickerson. "Several children will benefit from his
sacrifice."
Sabrina Hickerson is being held on $500,000 bond. Her husband is behind bars on $250,000 bond.
http://cordova.wmctv.com/news/news/parents-charged-toddlers-death/54238

Posted: Dec 15, 2011 2:31 PM CST
Updated: Dec 15, 2011 2:31 PM CST

MEMPHIS, TN -
(WMC-TV) - A Memphis couple has been indicted for murdering their one-year-old son last summer, according to Shelby County prosecutors.

Gary and Sabrina Hickerson are both charged with first degree murder and aggravated child neglect. Sabrina Hickerson, 22, is also being charged with aggravated child abuse.

The couple's child, Adrian Hickerson, died of blunt force trauma to the head the day after he was admitted in to LeBonheur Children's Hospital in extremely critical condition.

Sabrina Hickerson, 22, told investigators she flew into a rage when the little boy became defiant.

A police report confirmed the child collapsed while home alone with his mother. Sabrina Hickerson told officers her child was made to perform "exercise discipline" which she described to them as "smoking." She told police she has "uncontrollable rage over the child's behavior and may have harmed him."

Gary Hickerson, 24, was charged because he knew his son was being abused by his wife, but he did nothing to prevent it, prosecutors said shortly after the couple was charged.

http://www.wmctv.com/story/16332662/memphis-couple-indicted-for-babys-death?clienttype=printable

DCS Files Show Case Closed Three Months Before Child’s Murder
Posted on: 2:24 pm, July 4, 2013, by Zaneta Lowe, updated on: 07:15pm, July 4, 2013

(Memphis) Sabrina and Gary Hickerson are set to stand trial next month for the 2011 death of their 21-month-old son Adrien Hickerson.
WREG has also discovered workers from the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services were involved in the child’s life just before he died.
Adrien Hickerson’s file is Case #111, in the third batch of records DCS turned over to WREG through court order.
We were hoping to learn more about what happened leading up to his death, but heavily redacted pages and missing details raise even more questions.
DCS and police records show Adrien’s mom admitted to punishing the toddler for feeding the dog table food.
She forced Adrien to repeatedly lie down and get back up. She told police it was called “smoking.”
It was June, but no air was on in the house during Adrien’s punishment.  He eventually started convulsing and collapsed.
The autopsy reveals Adrien had brain contusions and hemorrhaging. He died from blunt trauma to the head.
Sabrina told investigators she had “uncontrollable rage” and may have harmed him.
According to his affidavit, Gary admitted he knew about his wife’s abusive behavior, but did nothing to stop it.
He may not have been the only one.
DCS opened an assessment case on the family in November of 2010 for lack of supervision, as well as nutritional and environmental neglect. They closed it just three months before Adrien died.
The file shows services were recommended and accepted, but formal services were not provided.
The family did get informal services, but it’s unclear what they were because DCS redacted the information.
Workers also redacted Hickerson’s date of death and some basic, medical information.
WREG asked a DCS spokesperson about the redactions, he said, “The litigation has determined what we can and cannot release.”
We’re still waiting to get more details on why information was redacted inconsistently, as well as additional information on the Hickersons’ assessment case. No additional forms related to the November 2010 case were included in the file.
Chancellor Carol McCoy has asked DCS to review the files released in the second and third set for over redactions.
During a recent hearing, she threatened to jail any DCS employee who violated her order by blacking out too much information.

http://wreg.com/2013/07/04/dcs-files-show-case-closed-three-months-before-childs-murder/