Post by Milisha on Dec 11, 2008 2:03:02 GMT -5
On January 21,2003, firefighters responding to a house fire in Elwood found the burned body of 8-year-old Mark Adrian Norris II.
Officials believed at first that the boy, who had cerebral palsy and epilepsy and used a wheelchair, died in the blaze that consumed his family's single-story home.
But autopsy results tell a different story: The county coroner confirmed Friday that Mark died of pneumonia at least one day before the fire.
During a press conference Madison County Coroner Marian Dunnichay said there was no smoke in Mark's breathing passages, indicating that he was not breathing at the time of the fire. The autopsy also showed signs of malnourishment, extensive muscle deterioration and several bedsores. Additionally, toxicology tests found no traces of the medication Mark should have received to control his seizures.
Prosecutor Rodney Cummings said Jennifer Norris, Mark's mother, is suspected of letting her son die and then setting the fire to conceal the real cause of his death.
"The child died, and at some point -- probably a day or two before the fire was set -- the mother discovered her child had died, and the fire occurred as a mechanism to cover up the death -- that's what I suspect probably happened," Cummings explained.
Mark's mother, his 1-year-old sister and 5-year-old brother all escaped from the fire unharmed.
Cummings said he is considering filing neglect and reckless homicide charges against Jennifer Norris.
[glow=red,2,300]Caseworker Pleads Guilty Of Falsifying Records In Norris Case
By Dave Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express
November 8, 2004[/glow]
A former Indiana Division of Family and Children social worker pleaded guilty Monday to tampering with computer records in connection with the death of 8-year-old Mark A. Norris II.
Under a plea agreement, a felony neglect charge was dropped against Mike Warrum, who had worked as a Child Protective Services caseworker.
Warrum was sentenced to one-year probation with no jail time. He had faced up to 20 years in prison if convicted of felony neglect.
Mark Norris' body was found by firefighters on January 21, 2003 after the family's home in Elwood had been destroyed by fire. Autopsy results confirmed that Mark, who had cerebral palsy and epilepsy, died of pneumonia at least one day before the fire. Toxicology tests found evidence that he was malnourished and had not been given prescription medications he needed to treat his seizures.
His mother, Jennifer L. Norris, was sentenced in March of this year to nine years in prison after pleading guilty to neglecting to seek medical treatment or properly care for her son.
Investigators had suspected that the fire was set deliberately to cover up Mark's death, but no evidence was found for them to charge Ms. Norris with arson.
Warrum was supposed to supervise Mark and his siblings under an earlier court order. Prosecutors claimed that he only visited the family once, but falsified entries in the state's computer system after Mark died.
Judge Asked to Dismiss Case Against Anderson Social Worker
Anderson - AP) -- A defense attorney is asking a judge to dismiss a neglect charge against a social worker indicted in an eight-year-old central Indiana boy's death.
Attorney James Bell says caseworker Mike Warrum was not directly responsible for the child's well-being. A grand jury indicted Warrum on felony neglect charges that he failed to adequately protect Mark Adrian Norris the Second.
The boy had cerebral palsy and was confined to a wheelchair. He was found dead after a January fire at his home in elwood, about 45 miles north of Indianapolis. An autopsy found he had died of pneumonia a day before the fire, and tests found evidence that he was malnourished and had not been given medicine to treat seizures.
Prosecutors said Warrum visited the Norris home only once despite a court order to supervise the care of the boy and his siblings. The judge gave both sides until Monday to file additional arguments.
Officials believed at first that the boy, who had cerebral palsy and epilepsy and used a wheelchair, died in the blaze that consumed his family's single-story home.
But autopsy results tell a different story: The county coroner confirmed Friday that Mark died of pneumonia at least one day before the fire.
During a press conference Madison County Coroner Marian Dunnichay said there was no smoke in Mark's breathing passages, indicating that he was not breathing at the time of the fire. The autopsy also showed signs of malnourishment, extensive muscle deterioration and several bedsores. Additionally, toxicology tests found no traces of the medication Mark should have received to control his seizures.
Prosecutor Rodney Cummings said Jennifer Norris, Mark's mother, is suspected of letting her son die and then setting the fire to conceal the real cause of his death.
"The child died, and at some point -- probably a day or two before the fire was set -- the mother discovered her child had died, and the fire occurred as a mechanism to cover up the death -- that's what I suspect probably happened," Cummings explained.
Mark's mother, his 1-year-old sister and 5-year-old brother all escaped from the fire unharmed.
Cummings said he is considering filing neglect and reckless homicide charges against Jennifer Norris.
[glow=red,2,300]Caseworker Pleads Guilty Of Falsifying Records In Norris Case
By Dave Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express
November 8, 2004[/glow]
A former Indiana Division of Family and Children social worker pleaded guilty Monday to tampering with computer records in connection with the death of 8-year-old Mark A. Norris II.
Under a plea agreement, a felony neglect charge was dropped against Mike Warrum, who had worked as a Child Protective Services caseworker.
Warrum was sentenced to one-year probation with no jail time. He had faced up to 20 years in prison if convicted of felony neglect.
Mark Norris' body was found by firefighters on January 21, 2003 after the family's home in Elwood had been destroyed by fire. Autopsy results confirmed that Mark, who had cerebral palsy and epilepsy, died of pneumonia at least one day before the fire. Toxicology tests found evidence that he was malnourished and had not been given prescription medications he needed to treat his seizures.
His mother, Jennifer L. Norris, was sentenced in March of this year to nine years in prison after pleading guilty to neglecting to seek medical treatment or properly care for her son.
Investigators had suspected that the fire was set deliberately to cover up Mark's death, but no evidence was found for them to charge Ms. Norris with arson.
Warrum was supposed to supervise Mark and his siblings under an earlier court order. Prosecutors claimed that he only visited the family once, but falsified entries in the state's computer system after Mark died.
Judge Asked to Dismiss Case Against Anderson Social Worker
Anderson - AP) -- A defense attorney is asking a judge to dismiss a neglect charge against a social worker indicted in an eight-year-old central Indiana boy's death.
Attorney James Bell says caseworker Mike Warrum was not directly responsible for the child's well-being. A grand jury indicted Warrum on felony neglect charges that he failed to adequately protect Mark Adrian Norris the Second.
The boy had cerebral palsy and was confined to a wheelchair. He was found dead after a January fire at his home in elwood, about 45 miles north of Indianapolis. An autopsy found he had died of pneumonia a day before the fire, and tests found evidence that he was malnourished and had not been given medicine to treat seizures.
Prosecutors said Warrum visited the Norris home only once despite a court order to supervise the care of the boy and his siblings. The judge gave both sides until Monday to file additional arguments.