CHARLES POERTNER - 7 yo -(2010) Newport News VA

The mother of a 7-year-old boy with cerebral palsy was charged tonight in his June death.On June 7, about 8 a.m., Charles Poertner was found dead in his home in the 300 block of 58th St., a Newport News police news release said. Poertner had an extensive history of medical problems, including his cerebral palsy, developmental delay and seizures. Child Protective Services took Poertner’s siblings, a 9-month-old baby and 3-year-old boy, into its custody because of the conditions of the house, police said. The children are now in the custody of relatives who live outside of Virginia.The children’s father was deployed at the time and they were living with their 26-year-old mother, Heather Kiran Poertner.The boy’s death was ruled a homicide by the Medical Examiner and the cause of death was severe dehydration. Medical and nutritional neglect were also contributing factors, the police news release said.On Thursday about 7 p.m., the mother was taken into custody at her residence in the 1300 block of Washington Drive in Newport News and charged with three counts of felony child neglect and one count of murder.

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 uncovered Friday. Police also say young Charles Poertner, who had cerebral palsy and was confined to a wheelchair with a feeding tube, was basically skin and bones and that his mother had left him on the floor in a diaper for several days and that he was covered in his own feces and dead bugs. The boy's mother, Heather Poertner, 26, was arrested Thursday night and charged with felony murder and child neglect. WAVY.com obtained court documents that indicated Charles "was severely emaciated" when they found him on the living room floor of their house on 58th St. on June 7. The boy was on the hard wood floor "clothed only in a diaper and the area around his feeding tube was dirty and discolored," according to the criminal complaint. "Dead fleas, debris, and other dirt were caked and present on the skin," detectives wrote in the complaint. On the day her son was found dead, Heather Poertner admitted she had left Charles "on the living room floor for an undetermined amount of time, but for at least several days, in the same position and location as his deceased body was found," according to the court document. Investigators also wrote that the mother admitted that she had let her son's special prescription food for his feeding tube run out and she had replaced it with 'Mix 'n Drink instant non-fat dry milk.' Detectives also described the living conditions at the house as deplorable and inhumane with dirty, moldy dishes and trash scattered everywhere and piles of dirty diapers throughout the house. And Charles was not the only child living at that house. His two younger brothers were found there as well. Court documents say Heather's three-year-old son was found alive, but covered in dried fecal matter and locked in a bedroom dead-bolted from the outside so he couldn't get out. "There were "feces and urine on the mattress, walls and window and trash strewn about the room," according to court papers. Heather's nine-month-old baby boy was found in his crib in a dirty diaper. The baby and the crib were both covered in urine and dried fecal matter, according to police. Bags of used diapers and piles of trash were also found in the baby's room. The two youngest boys were immediately treated at a local hospital. Police say they have been living out-of-state with their paternal grandparents and are said to be doing fine. Heather Poertner is in jail, charged with felony murder which is a version of "2nd degree murder while in the commission of a felony," the felony being child neglect. In addition to the murder charge, the mother is charged with three counts of felony child neglect, one each for Charles and his two brothers. Police say the boys' father is in the Navy and was deployed at the time, so he is not being charged with anything.

In Newport News a Navy wife is facing murder charges.

Authorities say she starved her disabled son to death in a house filled with urine, fleas, and feces.

Cerebral palsy, seizures, and developmental delays did not wipe the smile from little Charles Poertner's face - but in court, documents reveal the sad details of the final days of his life.

He weighed only 28 pounds when authorities found him dead and nearly naked on the living room floor this summer.

His two younger brothers were found locked in other rooms alive and covered with feces, fleas, and urine.

Authorities say their mother neglected her three children while her husband was on deployment with the Navy.

"Yes, I've observed that on numerous occasions throughout the years," said Rick Ellis, psychologist.

Psychologist Rick Ellis has worked with children in military families in Hampton Roads for decades. He says cases of child abuse and neglect increase in some families when the spouse is on deployment.

"Obviously there was a major mental illness involved in this, someone's perception of reality can be so distorted that they don't see the fact that their child needs care."

The details in little Charles' death are very similar to the Heaven Smith case - the Navy wife found guilty of murder after starving one of her twin daughters to death.

"It's extremely rare to see such severe neglect of starvation of a child," Ellis said.

According to a study from the American Journal of Epidemiology, higher rates of neglect and abuse are not uncommon among military families.

Statistics in the study suggest that when a spouse is deployed, the rate of child neglect and abuse increases in military families by 30 percent.

Ellis says stress and untreated mental illness are huge factors.

"The families carry quite a burden when an individual is deployed."

That stress can be quite pronounced at times.

Heather Poertner remains in jail tonight without bond. Jail officials say she is under tight surveillance.

She will face a judge for a second time Thursday.

Guilty plea in disabled boy's murder
Mother pleads guilty in 7-year-old son's death
Updated: Tuesday, 26 Apr 2011, 1:39 PM EDT
Published : Tuesday, 26 Apr 2011, 1:06 PM EDT

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) - The mother of a 7-year-old disabled boy, who died of severe dehydration and nutritional neglect, pleaded guilty to felony murder and three counts of felony child neglect Tuesday.

Back in December, officials said Charles Poertner weighed only 28 pounds when he was found dead at his home.

Police also said Poertner, who had cerebral palsy and was confined to a wheelchair with a feeding tube, was left on the floor in a diaper for several days and that he was covered in his own feces and dead bugs.

The boy's mother, Heather Poertner, pleaded guilty to the charges against her in Newport News Circuit Court.

Heather has two other children, a then three-year-old and nine-month-old, both were also found living in deplorable conditions and treated at a local hospital. They are now in the custody of their paternal grandparents.

Police say the boys' father is in the Navy and was deployed at the time.

Poertner's sentencing is set for June 30.

http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_news/newport_news/guilty-plea-in-disabled-boy%27s-murder

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.
Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Michael Chad Perkins said of Poertner's sentence, "I think it speaks exactly [to] how her actions led to this child's death. This was something she had to think about everyday. I can't believe there's anybody on this planet who can look at this child and say there's nothing wrong with that child."
In April, Poertner pleaded guilty to felony murder and three counts of felony child neglect.
In December 2010 , officials said her son, Charles Poertner, weighed only 28 pounds when he was found dead at his home.
Police also said Charles, who had cerebral palsy and was confined to a wheelchair with a feeding tube, was left on the floor in a diaper for several days and that he was covered in his own feces and dead bugs.
Heather Poertner has two other children, who were 3 years old and 9 months old at the time. Both of them were found living in deplorable conditions and treated at a local hospital. They are now in the custody of their paternal grandparents.
Poertner's attorney Michael Fasanaro said, "Mrs. Poertner is not a cruel or vicious woman. Unfortunately, she was overwhelmed by the circumstances of having to care for 3 children...and [with] her husband on deployment. And she just couldn't handle it."
Police said the father is in the Navy and was deployed at the time.
Poertner's husband testified at Thursday's sentencing. She is currently in custody.http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_news/newport_news/mom-to-be-sentenced-for-son%27s-death?hpt=ju_bn4