Charles Poertner - 7 yo - (2010) Newport News VA

Police are investigating the death of a 7-year-old boy who was found
unresponsive in the living room of his home in the 300 block of 58th St.
Monday morning.
Fire and police were called to the house shortly before 8 a.m. The
boy had an extensive history of medical problems including seizures, but
police are awaiting the findings of the medical examiner, a Newport
News police news release said.
Two other children, a 9-month-old and a 3-year-old, were living in
the residence. Because of the conditions of the house, both boys were
taken to a hospital to be examined. Once they are released, they will be
put into the custody of Child Protective Services.
At the time of the incident, all of the children were in the care of
their 26-year-old mother, the news release said. Their father is
currently deployed.

Alan Didway was more than willing to help his 26-year-old next door
neighbor with her three children, but said she never asked. Didway
was not surprised to hear that the eldest son, who police say had a
history of medical problems which included seizures, died Monday
morning. He had not realized when he watched police take the two younger
ones that there was a problem in the house. "You couldn't walk
in the house without stepping on something. Food, clothing and in some
areas of the house there was even feces," said MPO Holly McPherson. Newport
News police say Child Protective Services was called to the home in the
300 block of 58th Street after rescue crews responding to the 9-1-1
call about the eldest son found the living conditions inside the home
deplorable. "It had to be hard for her 'cause, you know, she had
to roll [her son] down that ramp," Didway said. "Those are the kind of
things I thought I could help her with if she needed it." In
fact, Didway barely saw the military couple or their boys--a 7-year-old,
3-year-old, and 9-month-old, except at night. "I have a garden
in the backyard so I'm out there every evening and their bedroom is
right in the back of the house and the middle boy, he'll tap on the
window and wave at me and I'll wave back to him." Police say the
younger kids, while they appeared physically fine, were dirty. Both
children were taken to a hospital to be checked out are now in the
custody of a relative. Didway now hopes the mother will ask for
help if she needs it. "Maybe this will open some eyes and she can
get some help you know because I don't know if he's on a ship or
submarine or what not but I'm sure they're trying to get a hold of him
and get him home," he said. The investigation is continuing and
right now the mother has not been charged with a crime. Police say an
autopsy will be conducted to determine the 7-year-old's cause of death.

Dead disabled boy, 7, only 28 pounds
Child found covered in feces, dead fleas, dirt

Updated: Friday, 03 Dec 2010, 9:12 PM EST
Published : Thursday, 02 Dec 2010, 8:06 PM EST

MaryKay Mallonee
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) - A seven-year-old disabled boy who died of severe dehydration and medical and nutritional neglect weighed only 28 pounds when he was found dead at home, according to investigators. That's just one of the very disturbing new facts WAVY.com discovered Friday.

Police also say young Charles Poertner...

More:
http://www.wavy.com/dpp/home/mother-arrested-for-murdering-son

Mom gets 50 years for murder, neglect
Mother pleaded guilty to charges in April

Updated: Thursday, 30 Jun 2011, 5:54 PM EDT
Published : Thursday, 30 Jun 2011, 8:19 AM EDT

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) - Heather Kiran Poertner, the mother of a 7-year-old disabled boy, who died of severe dehydration and nutritional neglect, was sentenced to 50 years in prison Thursday in Newport News Circuit Court.

More:
http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_news/newport_news/mom-to-be-sentenced-for-son's-death

Finally a sentence that fits the crime. 50 years! That's great. But I wonder how many years she will have to serve before she gets probation. The article didn't say so let's hope she serves most of them.