ADDISON GRACE LANHAM -2yo- Bessemer City (W of Charlotte) NC

Mother, sex offender boyfriend charged in 2-year-old's death (with photos)Wednesday, Jul 27 2011

A mother and her boyfriend face charges of involuntary manslaughter following the death of a 2-year-old Bessemer City girl after an autopsy revealed the child died of a severe infection that was left untreated.

Shanna Dawn Lanham, 32, of 525 Abel Road and Jason Michael Wells, 33, of 1207 Edgewood Road #217, both of Bessemer City, were responsible for the death of Addison Grace Lanham on July 21, according to arrest warrants. They were both charged Tuesday with involuntary manslaughter and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile.

Shanna is Addison’s mother and, on July 22, she identified Wells as a live-in boyfriend. Shanna Lanham said she had left her daughter with Wells, a registered sex offender, at the America's Best Inn in Bessemer City while she was at work at a local restaurant.

Capt. J.W. Human with Gaston County Police said authorities had been waiting on the medical examiner’s report to come in and, when it did, it revealed the cause of death to be a sepsis infection.

Sepsis is a medical condition often referred to as blood poisoning.

“What happened was the child had severe infection for several weeks now which ended up in her blood system. The infection moved into her blood system and moved around her body,” Human said. “Through the investigation, what we determined is that both those folks really grossly neglected to get her medical treatment.”

According to the warrant, Shanna Lanham and Wells caused Addison to be infected with MRSA, a bacterium normally found on the skin or nasal passages that cause infections.

Addison Lanham also had a broken leg that had been left untreated for one to two weeks, Human said.

A witness on the scene last Thursday had said the child appeared to have been beaten as she was removed from the motel room by emergency personnel. Her eyes were swollen shut. But Human said the child had not been beaten.

"Really, those were just signs of that infection," Human said. "That's how bad the infection was.”

Sepsis can be the result of bacteria, viruses and fungi in the body. Pneumonia, urinary tract infections and infections of the skin and abdomen can spread and lead to sepsis, according to emedicinehealth.com.

“It’s a sad case, unfortunately,” Human said. “It’s just sad all the way around. All it took was some medical treatment early on to really prevent this.”

Wells was originally charged on July 22 with failure to notify authorities of a change of address as a sex offender and baby sitting a child as a sex offender.

Wells is being held at the Gaston County Jail under a $1,750,000 secured bond. Shanna Lanham is being held under a $1 million bond.


http://www.shelbystar.com/news/death-56995-old-city.html

Another POS mother. Another POS boyfriend.

Another precious baby dead.

GASTON COUNTY, N.C. -- Family and friends in Gaston County were preparing Saturday to say their final good-byes to a toddler whose life was cut short.



The
funeral for Addison Lanham will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Ragan Wesleyan
Church in Gastonia, North Carolina. The two-year-old will be buried at
Westview Gardens in Bessemer City, North Carolina following the service.Friday
night, family and friends held a visitation and candlelight vigil to
remember Addison. Family members revealed how they tried to protect her.The
families of both Shanna Lanham and Jason Wells told Eyewitness News
they did everything in their power to save the young girl.Addison
died last week after an untreated infection entered her bloodstream,
killing her. The toddler also had a broken leg that went untreated,
police said.Addison’s mother, Shanna Lanham, and her mother’s
boyfriend, Jason Wells, were charged felony child abuse, involuntary
manslaughter and contributing to the delinquency of a minor."I'm
not justifying Jason, and I'm not justifying Shanna. God will deal with
them. We are here for Addison and Addison only," said Kim Wells, Jason
Wells' cousin.Kim Wells said she called the Department of Social
Services twice this year -- once in January and then again in April.
She said she told them if they didn't intervene, 2-year-old Addison
could lose her life.Wells said she also twice emailed Lanham's
probation officer, telling them she was abusing prescription medication
and neglecting her daughter."I blame Jason and Shanna for what
happened to Addison. But I blame DSS for allowing it to happen, because
they had ample opportunity to step in and save this child," she said.Lanham's
cousin, Stacey Drewery, said she called DSS twice in June and said she
was fearful for Addison's safety. She also said she called police
several times."I actually called 911 and asked them what would
happen if I took Addison out of the hotel room, and they said I could be
cited for kidnapping, even though I knew she was being abused. And
that's gotta change," Drewery said."I remember I slammed down the phone crying, thinking, 'Wow, really?'" she added. Drewery said she plans on pressing lawmakers to get them to make
it easier for extended family members to intervene if they suspect
abuse. She said she has started a petition she plans on bringing to her
local lawmakers in the upcoming weeks.Drewery told Eyewitness
News DSS that investigators told her when they tried to visit Lanham at
the America's Best Inn in Gaston County, she was never around.While DSS officials have defended their actions to Eyewitness News, Drewery said they didn't do their jobs."When
you give them the exact hotel and the exact room number like I did, and
then they say they still can't find them, sit there for five extra
minutes. Don't say that your time is more precious than that baby's
time," she said.Gaston County DSS officials said they are legally
prohibited from going into specifics but said that they have reviewed
their involvement in Addison's case."Everything looks like it's
been done by the books; we've got all the documentation," said Gaston
County DSS board member Tom Keigher."And as far as this
department doing its due diligence, I'm confident it'll come through
that way, that we did everything we were supposed to do," Keigher added. At Addison's visitation on Friday, dozens of people lit candles and bowed their heads in a moment of silence.Kim
Wells said she felt hopeless that more wasn't done to protect the
little girl. "And we, as a community, as a society, should not feel that
way when it comes to protecting a kid. We should not have to feel
helpless," she said.

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/28708059/detail.html

From the Editorial pages of



A beautiful little girl is dead. Her mother and live-in boyfriend
are jailed, charged with child abuse and involuntary manslaughter.
Across Gaston County and beyond, people touched by this horrible story
are asking:

What went wrong?

The answer lies somewhere amid the maze of unanswered questions and
obvious failure surrounding the July 21 death of 2-year-old Addison
Lanham.

That was the day Addison’s mother made a frantic — and revealing —
911 call seeking help for the child who was having difficulty breathing.
Between pleas for help, Shanna Lanham told the dispatcher she had been
treating Addison for boils on her face and that a bathtub fall caused
injury to the youngster’s private parts.

After her death, the medical examiner’s report revealed even more
about Addison’s health. Her leg had been broken a week or so earlier and
it had never been treated. Her death came from an infection, also left
untreated, that had entered her bloodstream.

The information creates a heart-wrenching, almost unbearable, picture
of a helpless little child in pain, and suffering at the hands of a
mother who did not care and a protective system that appears to have
failed.

Addison Lanham died despite the red flags of future tragedy that marked nearly every day of her short life.

• She was born to a mother who earlier bore a drug-addicted son,
  fortunately whisked away from the hospital and adopted by a loving
  family.
  
• Shanna Lanham had a history of drug abuse. At the time of Addison’s
  death she was on probation for a drug conviction. She failed a drug test
  after her arrest on Thursday.
  
• Lanham had rekindled her teen-age romance with Jason Wells and moved into a motel room with him and Addison.
  
• She stood by her man when he went on trial for a sex crime against a
  minor. Wells took a plea to sexual battery and is required to register
  as a convicted sex offender.
  
• Her friend, with whom she and Addison once lived, refused to provide
  shelter after Lanham took up with Wells. The friend didn’t want a
  registered sex offender around her own children and offered to keep
  Addison when Lanham left with Wells.
  
• Despite her boyfriend’s criminal history, she left Addison alone in his care while she went to her occasional job.
  

The dangerous circumstances of young Addison’s life led Wells’ own
family members to report their concerns to the Gaston County Department
of Social Services as far back as December 2010, family members say.

In keeping with their policies, DSS officials won’t talk about the
case, but have conducted a review. After a meeting on Thursday, DSS
board members said they are confident the department did everything
correctly.

But a post-review comment by County Commissioner Tom Keigher, who sits on the DSS board, prompts additional questions.

“This girl could have been saved,” Keigher said.

If that’s the case, then what went wrong that she was not saved?

A DSS report has been turned over to the District Attorney’s office.
Once the DA has signed off, the public will have more information, and
perhaps many of the questions in this case will be answered and the
people of Gaston County will know whether their agency failed a
beautiful 2-year-old named Addison.

One thing is clear at this point, however. Addison was failed by her
mother who pleaded on the 911 call for help for “my baby, my world.”

A woman can birth a child, but a mother does not leave her child’s
sickness and injury untreated, and a mother does not endanger the life
of her child by the company she keeps.

Addison Grace Lanham, the 2-year-old who died from an infection that
was left untreated, was laid to rest Saturday afternoon at Westview
Gardens in Bessemer City.

About 150 people attended Lanham’s funeral at Ragan Wesleyan Church
in Gastonia at 11 a.m. Saturday. Pews were packed with supporters,
friends, family members and others who never knew the toddler but felt
drawn to the service that celebrated her brief life and mourned her premature death.

Addison’s mother, Shanna Lanham, did not attend the funeral. She’s
being held at the Gaston County Jail facing charges of involuntary
manslaughter, child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a child.

Shanna Lanham’s mother and stepfather, Paula and Scott Bridges, were
at the funeral. Also in attendance were some of Addison’s aunts and her great-grandmother.



Paula Bridges places a rose on the casket of her 2-year-old
grandaughter, Addison Grace Lanham, during the interment service
at Westview Gardens Saturday.


Musician George Allen strummed a guitar and sang the Vince Gill
classic “Go Rest High on That Mountain.” Some mourners cried
uncontrollably; others remained emotionally strong, putting their arms
around others and embracing.

The Rev. Don Jewell preached the message and told the family that
little Addison Lanham is in a better place, free from pain and suffering.

“Today is not a day of mourning but a day of celebration,” Jewell
said. “Addison had not yet reached the age of accountability. She didn’t know what sin was.”

Jewell said that when Addison died, she ran into the arms of Jesus
and she wants everyone else to know that joy. He also spoke of the
unfathomable love of God.

“Addison’s life is not over. As a matter of fact, it’s just begun,”
Jewell said. “This little girl knew what pain was, according to what
we’ve heard. Praise God that she’s taken all she needs to in this world.
It’s sin that took Addison out of this world.”

Carrie Underwood’s song, “Temporary Home,” was played on speakers in
the church following Jewell’s message. He then said a prayer and
mourners walked behind Addison’s casket out of the church.

“I just want us to keep praying for the family because they definitely need our prayers,” Jewell said.

Surrounded by love

Mourners were able to view Addison’s body lying in the casket before
the funeral service. The child’s body was surrounded by colorful
balloons and stuffed animals. The small casket was light pink with white handles.

About 50 cars followed a white Cadillac hearse carrying Addison’s
body from Ragan Wesleyan Church to Westview Gardens, about 2 miles away.
About 25 motorcycles, being driven by members of the Gastonia chapter
of Guardians of the Children, also drove in the funeral procession. A
member of the motorcycle group spoke at the graveside service.

Scott Greene, owner of Greene’s Funeral Service in Gastonia, served
the family and also spoke a few words at the graveside service.

Doris Maltba of Gastonia and her sister, Carol Crane of Bessemer
City, said they’d followed the story of Addison’s death in the news and
wanted to come out and express their condolences.

“I’m still amazed at the (number of) people who came out,” Maltba said.
Mourners released hundreds of pink balloons at the cemetery. Some were moved to tears; others smiled with joy.
Carol Crane said she followed the recent Casey Anthony trial and saw similarities between Addison Lanham and Caylee Anthony.

“To me, a mother is still a mother and she had her, it was her
child,” Crane said. “I think that would be devastating not to be able to
attend your child’s funeral. We have to forgive. This was in God’s plans.”

Crane says that as future court proceedings reveal the details about
what happened to Addison, she’s putting her faith in the justice system.
Doris Maltba echoed those feelings.

“We don’t know what went on,” Maltba said. “Only they know what went on.”

Addison’s death

The toddler was taken from a room at America’s Best Inn in Bessemer
City on July 21 and died shortly afterward at Gaston Memorial Hospital.
Police say the cause has been determined to be a sepsis infection, often
referred to as blood poisoning. Authorities also say the child had a
broken leg than went untreated for one to two weeks.

The 2-year-old’s biological parents — Shanna Lanham and Raymond May —
are both in jail. May was charged in April with a dozen drug-related
charges and is being held on a $50,000 secured bond, according to arrest records.

Shanna Lanham and her boyfriend, Jason Michael Wells, were charged on
July 26 with involuntary manslaughter and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

On July 28, they were both charged with felony child abuse. Police
are now investigating the possibility that Addison Lanham was sexually assaulted.

Shanna said she left Addison in the care of Wells, a registered sex offender, while she was at work on July 21.

Read more: http://www.gastongazette.com/articles/lanham-59554-bessemer-rest.html#ixzz1Ti158kOY

GASTONIA -- The Gaston County grand jury has indicted a Bessemer City couple in the death of a 2-year-old girl.The
Gaston Gazette reported that Shanna Lanham and Jason Wells were
indicted Monday on charges of involuntary manslaughter, felony child
abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a child. Addison Lanham
died from sepsis infection July 21 at Gaston Memorial Hospital.
Investigators say the girl also had a broken leg that had been untreated
for more than a week. Prosecutors say the three of them had been
living in a hotel.Police say the Gaston County Department of
Social Services had been contacted about the girl in May. The agency
would not release any information about the case.

http://www.wcti12.com/news/28743433/detail.html

Written by Matt Crabtree

I am a former Child Protective Service Investigator (CPS)
investigator and Child Abuse/Neglect consultant for the N.C. Division of
Child Development. I served as a CPS investigator in two counties
before going to N.C. Department of Child Development. I have been out of the field for six years.

The first item I would like to address is confidentiality.
Confidentiality is mandated by law period — no matter what happens, some
of the blanket will be lifted some will not, which leaves the case wide
open to speculation and armchair quarterbacking by folks who have no
experience in CPS, politicians needing to create attention to get votes,
and ambulance chasers. This reaction is truly understandable in a case
with this tragic end. There was a loss of a young child, the hurt of
family, and the hurt of the community and the forgotten impact of the
DSS staff involved with this case.

During my experience as a CPS investigator, I have been involved with
several reviews, fortunately not any of my cases, but as unit reviews.
These reviews are not to cover up anything but to expose any blatant
errors, such as; were time frames missed, protection plan reviews,
contact review, and collateral information review — witnesses, other
family, medical/psychological reports, drug tests, criminal record, etc.
This is only one of many case file examinations. In the reviews I was
involved with, there was always DSS council involved to insure legitimacy.

The police department/DA’s office also examines the case for any
criminal act committed. In the other county I investigated in, I was
partnered with a Detective and we initiated the investigation together. I
was an Abuse only investigator so to speak, and that county was divided
into four sections with one or two CPS investigators depending on size
of the law enforcement agency’s jurisdiction.

The Community Child Fatality Review Team is made up of related
professionals, not affiliated with DSS, that probe every aspect of the
case – why the decisions made were made – following all mandated N.C.
CPS policy and law. Did any decision not get made that should have been
under policy and law? Every aspect of the case is probed from the first
initial contact of the child into the system to the unfortunate death.
Basically DSS – the director, all staff involved in the entire case is
cross examined by the team to determine if anything could have prevented the tragedy.

There is also an examination of the case by N.C. DHHS, of which in
North Carolina, local DSS agencies fall. Those consultants will have the
case also from initial intake and scrutinize all decisions and actions
made by the local DSS. They are checking to see if all mandates,
protection under policy and law were provided, what resources were used
that the community offers for treatment, were those resources engaged
and followed up on, again another cross examination of DSS – all
involved in the case from the director and all under to determine if
there was a policy failure, a mandate failure, or a failure by DSS to
follow all mandates and policies.

I have to add the caveat that this was during my stint in this arena — this may have changed at this time.

I am impressed with a couple of Gaston County Commissioner and DSS
board member Tom Keigher’s statements in his published letter, 1) asking
all politicos and all not involved to not comment on this case.

Confidentiality is mandated, the confidentiality is a blanket for the
child and family, not for DSS, not for the commissioners, not to hide
anything. We may never know all the details of this case — but I guess
that is why all criminal TV shows are so popular, we want to, unless of
course, we are seeing this on a day in and out basis. 2) Mr. Keigher
stated (I am paraphrasing) that if, emphasizing if, any accountability on anyone
involved in this case including DSS staff, accountability will be held and exercised.

What is missed here is that Mr. Keigher reports (which is extremely
limited due to confidentiality) that at this time, there seems to be no
failure. I dare say that we are months from any conclusions. However,
that is good news in light of DSS being responsible for child protection
of this county, granted, it is not the final decision.

I have no knowledge of this case except what has been reported by
your newspaper. My motivation in writing this to educate, based on my
experience, the public, remember the child, remember the family, and
remember the DSS staff involved — they are also gravely affected by this tragedy.

The public gets to openly criticize and walk away. The intake worker,
the investigator, and the supervisor don’t, they have to move onto the
next case where parents or guardians have failed to protect and care for their own children.

If all case decisions made were correct, the DSS staff involved are
left only to that fact – they will always second guess, even if all
actions were completed perfectly, and have to live with what happened
for the rest of their lives.

I was fortunate not to have any deaths on my caseload but the
decisions I made still haunt me, and probably haunt anyone having to
make those types of decisions on a day to day basis.

Read more: http://www.gastongazette.com/articles/child-59741-investigator-development.html#ixzz1UMaMg8au

GASTON COUNTY, N.C. -- Since their
2-year-old granddaughter, Addison Grace Lanham, died on July 21, Scott
and Paula Bridges have wondered what the next day will hold.



They
went from a life outside the spotlight to being thrust into the middle
of a story that has tore at the hearts of countless people and left the
community with many unanswered questions. Why did a little girl have to
die from an infection that is easily treatable? Why didn't Addison's
mother take her to a doctor or a hospital? How did the child end up with
a broken leg and other wounds on her body before she died? And, the
biggest question of all, did the Gaston Department of Social Services
drop the ball by not intervening quickly enough after getting at least
six calls from family members warning that the girl's mother had placed
her in harm's way by living in the same place with a registered sex
offender?The Bridges don't have answers for those questions. But
Paula Bridges saw a different side of their daughter, Shanna Lanham, the
mother of Addison who now sits in prison on charges of felony child
abuse.Paula Bridges, 54, works with the U.S. Postal Service in
Dallas while her husband, 48-year-old Scott Bridges, is Shanna’s
stepfather and is a self-employed home repairman.In the wake of
Addison’s funeral and burial on July 30, Paula and Scott say they want
to thank the community for the kindness they’ve been shown.“We
just want to tell how much we appreciate all the support,” Paula Bridges
said. “It shows that there really are a lot of great people in this
world.”Scott said one of the things that touched them the most at
Addison’s funeral was when the Gastonia chapter of the Guardians of the
Children motorcycle group showed their support.“They advocate
against child abuse. Most of the time, bikers are stereotyped as rough
people,” he said. “One prayed and read scripture at the graveside. The
support has been unbelievable.”Paula says they’ve received letters and cards of support from people they don’t even know.“This world is bad but there are a lot of great people. We were just in awe of the support that we got,” she said.The
Bridges said that their pastor, the Rev. Don Jewell of Ragan Wesleyan
Church in Gastonia, did an excellent job speaking at Addison’s funeral.
The couple says that Jewell has continued to offer spiritual support and
they’re deeply appreciative for that.“I mean, it was handled
very professionally. He done a great job. We thanked him on Sunday,”
Scott said, adding that funeral director Scott Greene of Greene’s
Funeral Service did a fine job planning Addison’s funeral.
Shanna in jail
Shanna and Addison lived with the Bridges at their Bessemer City
home for about a year and a half, Paula Bridges said. When Addison was
born, she was brought to the Bridges home from the hospital.About
four-and-a-half months ago, Paula says that Shanna and Addison left
their home. They moved into the America’s Best Inn in Bessemer City.
Shanna said they were later joined by her boyfriend, Jason Michael
Wells, a registered sex offender.“I knew Shanna wanted to get her life back together,” Paula said.Wells
faces the same charges as Shanna in the wake of Addison’s death. Shanna
said she’d left Addison in a motel room with Wells while she was at
work on July 21, the day Addison died.Police say that a medical
examiner’s report indicated the toddler died of a blood infection and
that she had infections that had gone untreated.Paula Bridges said Shanna was at her and Scott’s home when police came to arrest her on July 26.“We knew charges were coming, we just didn’t know when,” Scott said.Paula
plans on traveling to the Gaston County Jail to visit Shanna but hadn’t
as of Friday evening. Paula’s other daughter, Aleta Bridges, has been
to visit Shanna in jail.
DSS investigation
Paula said she didn’t know anything about the DSS investigation
against Shanna or how long it had been going on. She hadn’t seen Addison
in about four-and-a-half months.Scott Bridges said he believes
Addison’s death should be looked into. Paula says they’ve been keeping
up with how the DSS investigation came to be by reading The Gazette.According
to police, DSS officials have been investigating Shanna since May or
June. Paula Bridges says that Shanna had another child that was adopted
by other folks and now that Addison is dead, she’s left without any
grandchildren.“She was the sweetest, lovingest thing you’d ever
seen and then, she wasn’t here. I missed it,” Paula said. “She was a
very loving little girl. We could fix supper at night.”DSS
officials recently handed over a report on Addison to the District
Attorney’s Office, where it could become public record if signed off by
District Attorney Locke Bell.
Death’s shock
Paula described Shanna Lanham as a loving mother who, while she was living with them, tended to Addison’s needs.“I
do know that Shanna loved her daughter with a passion. I think she
didn’t make the right choices,” Paula Bridges said. “When they were
here, Addison could fall and scratch her knee and she’d say, ‘Oh, we
need to go to the hospital.’ That’s the way she was with her.”Paula said when she heard that Addison had died, “It was a shock. It was a very big shock.”Scott
says he’s the type of person who wants to know both sides of an issue.
He and Paula might be present for some of Shanna’s court dates but they
don’t think they’ll be very much involved in the proceedings.“Regardless
of how it comes out, there has to be forgiveness,” Scott Bridges said.
“I think (District Attorney) Locke Bell will do a fine job.”Paula
said that when Shanna was arrested, making the arrangements for
Addison’s funeral became her responsibility. The police investigation
also took a toll on the Bridges.“You don’t get no sleep there for
nine days when the investigation was going on,” Scott Bridges said. “A
lot of people judge without knowing both sides.”

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/28798645/detail.html

Will anyone ever have to answer for what happened to Addison?

August 16, 2011 6:54 PM

Members of the local child fatality task force were briefed immediately following the death of 2-year-old Addison Lanham.

Word spread quickly about the bright-eyed child who died of an untreated infection that took over her tiny body.

Her mother and her mother’s boyfriend were arrested within a matter of days.

Officials told media outlets the specifics of any investigation by
the task force and the Department of Social Service would not be made
public because of confidentiality laws.

But North Carolina general statute says otherwise.

According to law, when a child dies the findings of the case and any
investigation by the Department of Social Services can and should be
made public. There is, however, some wiggle room allowed in regards to
when reports are released.

Addison’s death

Addison Lanham died July 21. A distressed Shanna Lanham made the 911 call about her daughter.

Lanham told the operator that her daughter wouldn’t wake up, that her
face was swollen and that she recently hurt her private parts getting
out of the bathtub.

Emergency crews responded, but the child was later pronounced dead at Gaston Memorial Hospital.

An investigation ensued and within days, Shanna Lanham was charged
with contributing to her child’s death. Her live-in boyfriend, Jason
Wells, was also arrested.

Wells was previously convicted of sexual battery in 2010, and had to register as a convicted sex offender.

There have been no charges filed to indicate sexual abuse in Addison’s case, but the investigation is still open.

Lab results and details from the state Medical Examiner’s Office will
determine whether or not Addison was sexually abused, according to
Gaston County Police Capt. J.W. Human.

History with DSS

Social workers had an active investigation of Shanna Lanham under way when the toddler died.

Gaston County DSS Director Keith Moon will not comment on what involvement his department had in the Lanhams’ lives.

Human verified that Shanna Lanham was under investigation. He
believes that Lanham was ducking the department and possibly neglected
her daughter’s need for medical attention because she believed DSS would
take her child away.

Addison was Lanham’s second child. She gave birth to a baby boy five
years ago. That child never went home from the hospital with Lanham. He
was taken in by a friend of the family and later adopted.

Human said he thought Lanham had some dealings with DSS back with her first child.

Social workers step in when a report is made. Four intake workers handled about 4,000 cases in 2010 in Gaston County.

Those four individuals work with supervisors to prioritize each case.
The highest level of concern gets a social worker assigned immediately
and a well check is conducted without delay. Others are set at a level
to be checked within 24 or 72 hours.

Gaston County DSS has about 20 people assigned to the duty of
conducting well checks on at-risk children, according to Cheryl Harris
with DSS.

“This is our staff that gets on their white horses and goes and checks on the kids,” she said.

The Addison file

Harris would not say how Addison was prioritized or whether a social worker located the family to ensure the child’s safety.

DSS investigation files are confidential unless a child dies. At that point, the case can be made public.

DSS is to consult with the district attorney’s office about releasing such information.

Gaston County DSS Director Keith Moon sent a summary of the case to Gaston County District Attorney Locke Bell July 29.

“Mr. Bell requested that the department not release the summary. As
recently as Aug. 15, 2011, Mr. Bell has informed the department that, in
his opinion, releasing the summary may jeopardize the pending
investigation of the case and might jeopardize his ability to prosecute
the case,” Moon wrote in an email to The Gazette.

But all of the information will be revealed eventually, Moon said.

Once Lanham’s and Wells’ criminal cases have been settled, the
district attorney would have no reason to keep the information out of
the public eye.

A state child fatality task force should also release findings from an investigation of Addison’s death, Moon said.

Investigating the process

Any child who dies in Gaston County doesn’t go unnoticed. A local
task force reviews the death regardless of whether it was a homicide or
an accident and whether or not DSS was ever involved.

Members of Gaston’s child fatality protection team include: Alice
Ragan, retired from Gaston County Schools; Chris Hendricks, Gaston
Emergency Medical Services; Capt. Jay Human, Gaston County Police
Department; Cheryl Harris, Gaston Department of Social Services;
Detective Eric Wiggins, Gastonia Police Department; Dr. John Watts,
medical community; John Garland, Pathways; Kelsie Costner, Department of
Social Services; Susan C. Starcher, Gaston County Health Department;
and Susan Neeley, Gaston County Schools.

The local team meets four to six times a year.

“Unfortunately there are always several fatalities for us to review when we get together,” said Harris.

Some team members are more active than others. If someone is unable
to attend, an alternate from the same department is typically selected,
according Harris.

The team reviews each case and returns a report of its findings.

These findings are not made public, according to Harris. The only
information that is generally released to the public is in regards to
what policies and procedures might be changed or amended as a result of
the investigation.

Its findings are submitted to the Department of Health and Human
Services and may take a year before showing up in a final report.

Investigations at the local and state level scrutinize the actions
and practices that led up to the child’s death. If any one particular
employee is found at fault, that person can face disciplinary action,
though it probably won’t be made public, said Harris. In North Carolina,
employee records are kept confidential.

The primary purpose of the review is to prevent future child fatalities, Harris said.

Social workers try to protect children at each turn, but tragedies still happen.

“There’s no agency or provider in this community that sleeps with the
parents each night to be sure to protect these children,” she said.

Next step in justice

Shanna Lanham was arrested July 26, charged with child abuse,
involuntary manslaughter and contributing to the delinquency of a child.

She remains in Gaston County Jail under a $1.1 million bond. She has
been assigned attorney Gus Anthony through the Public Defender’s Office.

Wells was arrested the day after Addison’s death for failing to
register as a sex offender. He later racked up additional charges, the
same as his girlfriend. He is being held on a $1.85 million bond.

Wells also applied for a public defender and has been assigned to Cindy Letorney.

http://www.gastongazette.com/articles/child-60022-addison-mother.html#ixzz1VFHzfLlv

A Gaston County probation officer resigned Wednesday afternoon, exactly
one month after Department of Corrections officials began investigating
whether he ignored pleas for help from the relatives of a 2-year-old
child who died in a motel room.Probation Officer Carlton Whit Ogg tendered his resignation before DOC investigators could hand down any punishment.Police
said two-year-old Addison Lanham, 2, died in July from an infection and
a broken leg. Addison's mother, Shanna Lanham, and her boyfriend, Jason
Wells, are charged with manslaughter.Kim Wells, Jason Wells'
cousin, provided Eyewitness News on July 31 with a Facebook email
exchange between herself and Officer Ogg.She told Eyewitness News
she called Ogg several times but her messages weren't returned, so she
found him on Facebook. She wrote things including "I don't know if that
baby is eating;" "Shanna is strung out on crack and Xanax;" "Addison her
daughter doesn't have any clothes;" and "Please help Addison.""Why
wouldn't you be concerned about an infant not eating? And drugs being
used in front of them? Why would you not go check?" Kim Wells said last
month.In the Facebook exchange, Ogg responded one time, asking Wells how she knew about the alleged drug use.After
Addison's death, family members provided Eyewitness News with a copy of
the messages, and on August 1 the Department of Corrections opened an
internal investigation.On August 19, a DOC spokesman said the internal review was complete and that officials were reviewing possible consequences.On
Wednesday, Officer Ogg resigned, but before investigators handed down
any potential punishment. It's unclear if Ogg would be able to keep his
pension and benefits because he resigned.Lanham's cousin, Stacey Drewey, said says she's glad Ogg is no longer a probation officer but is disappointed with the process."He's
going to walk away without anything happening to him. He resigned from
his job, and he can go out and get another job somewhere else," Drewey
said. "There's no punishment. He's going to get away scot-free because
he handed in his resignation."Eyewitness News stopped by Ogg's house, but he wasn't home.Both Shanna Lanham and Jason Wells are charged with involuntary manslaughter and felony child abuse.Shanna
Lanham will have a court hearing in Gaston County on Friday for a
probation violation. Jason Wells was recently transferred to a prison in
Raleigh. Family members said that's because he was receiving death
threats and officers feared for his safety.
http://www.wsoctv.com/news/29044567/detail.html

The woman charged with her daughter’s death was scheduled to appear in court Friday morning.
Shanna Lanham’s appearance was continued when Superior Court Judge Jesse Caldwell recused himself.
According to court officials, Caldwell once served as an attorney for Lanham’s mother.
Lanham and her boyfriend, Jason Wells, were charged with the July 21 death of 2-year-old Addison Lanham.
The toddler died from an infection in her blood stream due to neglect, according to police.
Shanna Lanham was on probation at the time of the child’s death. Her
Friday court appearance was on a violation of that probation.
She has not yet been arraigned on the charges connected to her
daughter’s death. Lanham and Wells have both been charged with felony
child abuse and manslaughter.
Both Lanham and Wells remain in jail on bonds higher than $1 million.
Lanham’s probation officer, Carlton Ogg, resigned this week.
On Aug. 19, a Department of Correction spokesman said the internal
review was complete and that officials were reviewing possible
consequences.
Read more: http://www.gastongazette.com/articles/daughter-60503-judge-addison.html#ixzz1WoQp1Rkb

Modified Fri, Sep 09, 2011 07:02 AM
Upgraded charges in death of Gaston County toddler

GASTONIA, N.C. -- More serious charges have been filed against a Gaston County couple in the death of a toddler earlier this year.

Thirty-two-year-old Shanna Dawn Lanham and 33-year-old Jason Michael Wells of Bessemer have been charged with second-degree murder. The couple originally had been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Lanham's 2-year-old daughter, Addison.

The girl died from a sepsis infection July 21. Investigators say the girl also had a broken leg that had been untreated for more than a week.

Gaston County Police Capt. J.W. Human says investigators are awaiting a report from the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

Shanna Lanham said she left Addison with Wells while she was at work. The girl died that evening at the hospital.



Read more: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/09/09/1472989/upgraded-charges-in-death-of-gaston.html#ixzz1XSslmuH8

Mom, sex offender plead guilty in 2-year-old girl's death

By Cleve R. Wootson Jr.
cwootson@charlotteobserver.com

Posted: Wednesday, Dec. 07, 2011

• 
  Shanna Lanham
  

More Information


The mother of 2-year-old Addison Lanham and her registered sex
offender boyfriend both pleaded guilty Wednesday to second-degree murder
in connection with the girl's death in July, according to the Gaston Gazette.

Shanna Lanham was sentenced to a prison term ranging from a
minimum of nine to 11 1/2 years. Her boyfriend, Jason Wells, received a
prison term of 10 years to 13 years. He also pleaded guilty to a
misdemeanor charge of watching a child despite being a registered sex
offender, according to the newspaper.

Wells was babysitting the 2-year-old when she became seriously
ill, then unresponsive at America's Best hotel. He called Lanham, who
rushed to the motel and then called 911.

Three family members told the Observer that they called DSS
officials more than six times this spring, pleading with them to remove
the girl from her mother's care. They said Addison was in danger, living
with drug users and a convicted sex offender.

"Shanna and her boyfriend were trying to avoid their
investigation," Gaston Police Capt. Jay Human told the Observer during
the investigation. "She worried that if she would go to the hospital,
it'd be reported, and they'd get back on their radar and they could find
her."

Human said Lanham met at least once with DSS and she signed an agreement promising not to allow Wells near her daughter.




http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/12/07/2833259/mom-sex-offender-plead-guilty.html#ixzz1ftL5acb6

It's something but it is not enough.

11 to 13 years for these POS people who let that poor baby suffer and die for weeks. They should have received life. What a crock.

And DSS--they were contacted plenty of times with info and if the extended family even told them that the POS mother was living with a sex offender, then why couldn't they go over there right away and take the child away. Something needs to be done about DSS. This is just awful.

Adjudicated.


Though not well.

http://www.wsoctv.com/download/2011/1209/29961506.pdf

Babyj, these court documents might rile you up further. They did me. Disgusting.

twinkletoes wrote:Babyj, these court documents might rile you up further. They did me. Disgusting.

Twink, my blood is boiling. There is some kind of BS going on in that report. When the POS mother admitted she was dating the sexual predator, they should have taken that baby then. Those idiots received plenty of reports of child abuse and "couldn't locate the mother." Sounds to me that they didn't try that hard. Why didn't they bring the police into it and let them help. It was obvious the mother was avoiding them.

Of course the d@mn mother is to blame ultimately. She should receive life in prison. She was willingly allowing her child to be abused. I just don't understand why these woman have babies only to allow them to be abused to death. And I never will. Every case is so sad and tragic. I keep thinking how we can help to stop this but there's no easy answer when parents hide and secretly abuse their kids.

Task forces investigating child deaths

February 14, 2012 5:58 PM





Addison Lanham, 2, died in July 2011.

The death of a Gaston County toddler will be reviewed by a state task force charged with investigating child fatalities.
Addison Grace Lanham died from neglect in July 2011.

When paramedics walked into the extended-stay motel in Bessemer City
where the child lived, they saw a 2-year-old girl covered in boils. Some
had burst, exposing her brain and skull.

Her leg was broken. She had been sexually assaulted and sodomized.
Her arm and back were bruised; her eyes swollen from infection.

The toddler’s mother, Shanna Lanham, pleaded guilty to second-degree
murder in the child’s death in December. Shanna Lanham’s sex offender
live-in boyfriend, Jason Wells, also pleaded guilty in the case.

Both are in prison now, but state health officials intend to investigate further into the child’s life and death.

Gaston County Department of Social Services had a file on the
Lanhams. Shanna Lanham didn’t want to be found by social workers. She
handed her first child over to be raised by another family, and she had
been investigated for allegations involving Addison.

Reports had been called in by friends and relatives regarding Lanham
living with a registered sex offender at America’s Best Inn and Suites.

Many speculated that Wells was sexually inappropriate with the child because of his prior conviction.

Addison was violated, but there was no DNA or biological evidence to identify a suspect, according to prosecutors.

Preventing future deaths

Any child who dies in Gaston and Lincoln counties doesn’t go
unnoticed. Local task forces review each death regardless of whether it
was a homicide or an accident and whether or not DSS was ever involved.

Members of Gaston’s child fatality protection team include: Alice
Ragan, retired from Gaston County Schools; Chris Hendricks, Gaston
Emergency Medical Services; Capt. Jay Human, Gaston County Police
Department; Cheryl Harris, Gaston Department of Social Services;
Detective Eric Wiggins, Gastonia Police Department; Dr. John Watts,
medical community; John Garland, Pathways; Kelsie Costner, Department of
Social Services; Susan C. Starcher, Gaston County Health Department;
and Susan Neeley, Gaston County Schools.

The local team met four times in 2011.

The team reviews each case and returns a report of its findings.

These findings are not made public. The only information that is
generally released to the public is in regards to what policies and
procedures might be changed or amended as a result of the investigation.

Its findings are submitted to the Department of Health and Human
Services and may take a year before showing up in a final report.

Investigations at the local and state level scrutinize the actions
and practices that led up to the child’s death. If any one particular
employee is found at fault, that person can face disciplinary action,
though it probably won’t be made public. In North Carolina, employee
records are kept confidential.

The primary purpose of the review is to prevent future child fatalities.

Child fatalities

Seven children died in Gaston County in 2011. Eight were reported in Lincoln County.

Of the seven deaths in Gaston County, five were active in the welfare
system, according to a report completed at the local level and
submitted to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.

The three most reoccurring protection issues in Gaston County in 2011 were substance abuse, domestic violence and co-sleeping.

The two-page report did not specify how each child died.

Alternatively, Lincoln County’s child fatality prevention team report
includes four pages – listing each cause of death and breaking down
determining factors into percentages.

All but one of the Lincoln County child deaths in 2011 was a result
of a medical issue. The only exception was a 3-year-old boy who drowned.

Both the Gaston and Lincoln reports outline plans to improve programming and protection of children in 2012.

Gaston’s submission states:

“Grants are being applied for to enhance the community ability to be
proactive in prevention. If granted there will be an increase in
community collaboration to provide identified families an opportunity
for prevention services the grant will create. The hope is that there is
a reduction in abuse/neglect concerns.”

Special cases

The Department of Health and Human Services also has a child fatality prevention task force.

The task force does not review every child death. A list of criteria
is used to determine whose case will go under the microscope. Addison’s
case met those criteria.

The state review will be conducted to ensure DSS workers did all they could to keep Addison from harm.

Findings from the study should be available in an annual report.


http://www.gastongazette.com/articles/child-67447-investigating-task.html#ixzz1ms27fbXj

Written By ANONYMOUS
Have you ever met someone and within the first few moments of getting
to know them you knew you would eventually read about them doing
something heinous and disgusting? Some vibe about the person gave you
the total impression that they have the capability of committing an evil
act?

Meet Shanna Dawn Lanham and her pedophile piece of garbage boyfriend
Jason Michael Wells. These two ensured that Shanna’s beautiful 2 year
old Addison did not get to open presents under the tree this year, or
have a 3rd birthday. Addison will never go to school, ride a bicycle or
go to the prom. You see, Addison is dead. And no, she just didn’t die
peacefully in her sleep, she died a slow agonizing death drug out for
weeks , and was hidden from anyone to tried to stop her mother and new
boyfriend from having their fun at Addison’s expense.

Miss Shanna was only 13 years old, but already a lifelong drug
addiction to everything under the sun. While other teens thought they
were so racy as to take a sip of a wine cooler, Shanna had moved from
home by 14, and was snorting cocaine and in love with Ecstasy. By age 20
she was stripping to feed her habit and finding old men who would house
her until she robbed them blind.

Then, back out into the streets she would go, looking for love, drugs, and a good time.
She gave birth to a little boy five years ago, but never took the child
in as her own, according to court documents. A friend of the family
picked up the drug-addicted baby from the hospital and later adopted him
as her own.

Lanham was arrested several times on drug and larceny charges. She was branded a felon.

Out of jail and looking for love, she has a very short affair with
another drug addict, Raymond May. She quickly gets pregnant with a
beautiful daughter Addison. Raymond May, 36, is being held in the
Central Prision in Raleigh, NC with a dozen beautiful convictions. The
charges include promoting drug sales by a minor, trafficking heroin and
conspiring to sell and deliver cocaine, according to arrest records.
With Ray in jail, its time to look for a new boyfriend/dealer.

What does a drug addict mother to do all alone with a baby to raise?
Get a sex offender boyfriend of course! This was a gem of a man named
Jason Michael Wells. She was by his side when he stood trial for taking
indecent liberties with a minor.

Wells eventually took a plea of sexual battery and was required to
register as a sex offender. Wells inappropriately touched the
12-year-old girl on a chance encounter at a grocery store. Shanna stood
by his side and called all the charges lies! The trial was under way
when Wells agreed to plead guilty to a lesser charge. But child
molesters don’t do a very good job paying for Coke, so its back to
stripping. Too bad for Shanna, working at strip clubs was not going to
work for Shanna anymore-the drugs were ruining her appearance to the
point where even the sleaziest club in town would not employ her. NOt
even the nasty ones want the girls with the Meth scabs on their faces.

When Wells started coming around and the woman Shanna was living with
learned that he was a registered sex offender, she told Lanham she
didn’t want the man around her three children .Lanham decided to move
out. She was urged to leave Addison with her, but the couple decided to
take the little girl with them.
Homeless once again, the couple decide to move in a pay-by-the-week
Hotel in Bessemer City, NC. Wells, took odd jobs roofing to pay the
weekly hotel rent. Lanham was a “Stay At Motel Mom”.

As the drug abuse got worse, and it looked as if the baby wasn’t
being fed. The child was no longer allowed to come out her hotel room.
Not even employees had seen Addison for weeks. Family members begged for
help. Even several members of the sex offender’s family stepped in ,
left several messages at the Gaston County Probation and Parole
Department in early June, saying they had saw her abusing drugs.
Since the family never received a return phone call, they reached out to
Shanna’s probation officer on Facebook, begging for help.On June 13,
wrote “I don’t know if that baby is eating. Shanna is strung out on
crack and Xanax. She is selling all her pills. Addison, her daughter,
doesn’t have any clothes and I’m not sure she is eating. I called DSS on
her and her cousin called the cops. Please help Addison.”

The social worker, who has stepped down from DSS because of
investigation into Addison’s death, asked for proof. Lanham’s cousin,
Stacey Drewery, said she called DSS twice in June and said she was
fearful for Addison’s safety. She also said she called police several
times.

“I actually called 911 and asked them what would happen if I took
Addison out of the hotel room, and they said I could be cited for
kidnapping, even though I knew she was being abused. And that’s gotta
change,” Drewery said.

A complaint of neglect against Lanham was filed in June. The basis of
the claim was because Wells, a convicted sex offender, was reportedly
living with the Lanham’s in a hotel. The couple also smoked marijuana
and did cocaine around the child, according to the report.

That claim dictated an in-home visit within 24 hours, according to Cheryl Harris, program administrator with Gaston DSS.

On June 9, two social workers visited Lanham at the Express Inn in Bessemer City where she and the child were living.

Lanham denied accusations that Wells was living there, but social
workers saw men’s clothes and shoes in the room. Lanham said that the
clothing belonged to her brother. The social workers reported “Addison
to be appropriately dressed, clean and no apparent well-being issues
were observed.”
Social workers told Lanham that Wells was not allowed to live with a child and that they planned to return in a week.

That second visit never happened.

In the weeks to follow, Lanham called DSS and said she and Addison
were taking a trip to the beach. She refused to give phone numbers and
addresses, saying her phone was broken and that she didn’t have the
address of where she was staying. Social workers returned to the hotel
where the Lanham’s had been living on two occasions. She had apparently
moved out.

Wells told social workers in July that he and Lanham had broken up.
Convicted of sexual battery in 2010, Wells was added to the sex offender
registry and therefore isn’t legally permitted to live with children.
Friends, family and prosecutors say that Lanham and Wells lied about
living together.

Lanham told social workers during her June 9 interview that she knew
about Wells’ criminal record, but that she didn’t know that meant he
couldn’t be around her child. Lanham said that she didn’t believe Wells
was guilty of the sex offense and that she planned to marry him right
away.

Both Lanham and Wells continually told social workers during follow
up phone calls that they were not living together, but police have
determined that Wells was living with the Lanham’s.

Wells was babysitting Addison the night she died. Wells, tried wake
little Addison up from a nap, but could not get her to stir. When the
child wouldn’t wake up, Wells called Lanham who returned to the
America’s Best Inn and Suites and ultimately called 911. Lanham called
911 that night from her room at America’s Best Hotel in Bessemer City,
frantically describing the injuries on her unresponsive child’s body.

She repeatedly tried to explain away the cuts to the toddler’s
private parts as injuries from falling in a bathtub. She would go from
uncontrollable sobs to quickly and soberly defending her boyfriend and
explaining away any signs of abuse of little Addison.

Link to 911 call is here: http://richmedia.onset.freedom.com/gaston/lp0fb8-addison911call.mp3

Addison died of sepsis, an infection that entered her blood stream
and overtook her body. She had bruises on her arm and back and a several
weeks old broken leg. She was swollen and covered in boils and had been
sexually assaulted and sodomized. Her arm and back were bruised; her
eyes swollen from infection. Little Addison was covered in boils
stemming from MRSA all over her body. Some had burst, exposing her
brain and skull. Her hair was falling out.

Again, she was 2 years old.

At trial, it was determined that Lanham and Wells made doctor’s
appointments for Addison, but they decided to cancel them and borrow
Tylenol from a neighbor in the hotel instead. Who knew Tylenol was such a
wonder drug it could heal sepsis, a broken leg, sexual assault, sodomy,
and hair loss!

Wells’ bags were packed and he was gone before police arrived. He was
picked up a short time later at a nearby gas station and charged with
failing to register as a sex offender.

Before being charged, Lanham went on the defensive and conducted several local news interviews which can be found here:

http://www.gastongazette.com/video/?videoId=1070855210001&lineupId=1155327132&play=now

Much of the account of the child’s death came not only from neighbors
but from Lanham and Wells. Each of the defendants offered details and
agreed to testify against the other. Funny how Shanna put her boyfriend
above her child’s life, but not over her precious hide!

Shanna Lanham took a plea for second degree murder-only nine years to
11½ years in prison. Then she is free to breed and kill again.

Jason Wells was sentenced to 10 years to 13 years in prison. His
conviction also includes baby-sitting for a child while being a sex
offender. His attorney, Cindy Letorney, asked that Wells be kept
separate from Addison’s biological father who is also incarcerated at
Central Prison in Raleigh. Hopefully, someone will forget about the last
part and make them roomies.

http://pysih.com/2012/03/31/jason-michael-wells-and-shanna-dawn-lanham/

These sentences are an abomination, Is it the fault of the prosecutor for under charging these criminals? Is it the fault of the judge or did he do the best he could? Apparently he did.

These two evil fiends should never walk the streets again. But they will. And breed again.

Something is wrong here and it needs to be fixed.



The system let this poor baby down during her short torturous life and the system let her down after her murder.

Something is wrong here and it needs to be fixed.

New team, few tangible changes since child’s death

Addison Grace Lanham
By Diane Turbyfill

Published: Sunday, July 20, 2014 at 15:57 PM.
Photo Galleries

• Child's death
  

Addison Grace Lanham breathed her last breath three years ago.

Her battered and broken body lay in a hotel room when her mother, Shanna Lanham, made the frantic 911 call on July 21, 2011.

The 2-year-old died the same day.

Five months later, Shanna Lanham and her then-boyfriend, Jason Wells, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.

Shanna Lanham was under investigation by social workers at the time of her daughter’s death.

Addison’s death did not spark policy changes at Gaston County Department of Health and Human Services. But the administration says a new quality assurance team will improve and possibly save other children’s lives.

Neglect and abuse
Addison died of sepsis, an infection that entered her blood stream and overtook her body. She had bruises on her arm and back and a broken leg. She was swollen and covered in boils and had been sexually assaulted and sodomized.

There was no definable DNA evidence to identify who was responsible for the molestation.

Shanna Lanham had been investigated by what was then called Gaston County Department of Social Services on two different reports of neglect. The first was in November 2010. The second began a month before the child died in 2011 and continued after her death.

The basis of the second complaint was that Wells, a convicted sex offender, was reportedly living with the Lanhams in a motel.

That claim dictated an in-home visit within 24 hours of the complaint and several follow-up visits.

Dodging the system
As a registered sex offender, Wells was not permitted to live with a child under the age of 18, and he was not supposed to be around children unless in the company of a responsible adult, according to court documents.

Lanham denied accusations that Wells was living with her and told a social worker she did not believe Wells was guilty of the crime he’d been convicted of, which was sexual battery.

In the weeks to follow, Lanham told her social worker she and Addison were taking a trip to the beach.

She refused to give phone numbers and addresses, saying her phone was broken and that she didn’t have the address of where she was staying.

Social workers dropped by Lanham’s motel room only to learn that she’d moved.

After the child’s death, investigators learned that the Lanhams had moved into a motel room with Wells just outside of Bessemer City.

Safety of children
Social workers follow a protocol when dealing with child safety issues. That policy is not a one-size-fits-all course of action, said Sarah Norris with Gaston County Department of Health and Human Services, formerly Gaston County DSS.

Social workers do an assessment to determine the level of urgency or danger to the child, then determine how intensive the supervision needs to be, Norris said.

“And while all of this is dictated by state policy, our social workers will always do what they feel necessary to make sure children are not at risk,” she said.

If a parent or guardian denies access to the child, the department may file a petition through the court and contact state agencies to try to locate the child, Norris said.

Quality assurance team
Local and state child fatality task forces looked at Addison’s case as part of their annual reviews.

No policy changes have been reported as a result.

The local Department of Health and Human Services says it is currently forming a quality assurance team that they hope will make a difference.

Made up of social workers and a supervisor, the team will “improve practices across the board with an ultimate goal of increasing positive outcomes,” Norris said.

Child fatality task forces in place now review cases once they’re closed.

Norris said the quality assurance team will review cases while they’re still open.

“So if there is ever a way our team can do more to protect children, we’ll identify these improvements much earlier, rather than after the fact,” she said.

‘Sad reality’
Ultimately, Wells and Lanham claimed responsibility for the little girl’s death.

Each pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in December 2011.

Lanham is scheduled for release in 2020, and Wells two years later.

Addison’s grave sits silently in a western Gaston County cemetery, just a couple of miles from where she died.

Norris said teams of social workers continue to work hard to ensure the safety of Gaston County’s children, but even the best team faces challenges.

“The sad reality is that even when our staff does everything they can possibly do, there is always the potential that tragedies will happen,” she said.


http://www.gastongazette.com/spotlight/new-team-few-tangible-changes-since-child-s-death-1.348413

This still pisses me off. They should never walk out of prison, but they soon will. What a tragedy. What a miscarriage of justice.

This cold hearted, evil bitch sacrificed her own baby. The things she allowed him to do to her baby are so horrific he should be executed.

Upsetting.