How Could You? Hall of Shame-La’Marion Jordan case-Child Death UPDATED

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Lancaster, South Carolina, “the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office have arrested a man after the death of his [adopted] son.

Robert Jordan, 47, of Lancaster, was arrested Tuesday and has been charged with homicide by child abuse stemming from the death of his 5-year-old son, La’Marion Jordan.

Lancaster County authorities received a call on September 5 concerning the death of the child. Law enforcement officials and the County Coroner met with Jordan at his home and he told them that the child, who had a disability, fell out of his wheelchair and hit his head on the floor the day before. Jordan drove the child to the hospital where he died as a result of blunt force trauma to his head.

Investigators interviewed several witnesses with knowledge of the family, reviewed the child’s medical records, autopsy report, and consulted with a medical expert. Jordan was interviewed again on October 13 and was taken into police custody that afternoon.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office at 803-283-3388.”

Lancaster Man Charged with Homicide in sons death [WCNC 10/16/15]

“A Lancaster father is accused of killing his 5-year-old disabled son by throwing him down a hallway.

Local media outlets report 47-year-old Robert Jordan is charged with homicide by child abuse in the Sept. 4 death of La’Marion Jordan, who had cerebral palsy.

The Lancaster County Sheriff’s office says Robert Jordan initially told investigators his son fell out of his wheelchair and hit his head on the floor.

An autopsy determined La’Marion died of blunt force injury to his head.

Sheriff’s spokesman Doug Barfield says Jones was arrested last Tuesday after investigators reviewed medical records, consulted an expert and re-interviewed him.

Jones’ mother, Rose Mae Jackson, told WBTV there’s no way her son harmed the child. Family members call Jones a loving father who fostered, and later adopted, the boy.”

Father accused of killing wheelchair-bound, 5-year-old son [Herald Online 10/18/15 by The Associated Press]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update:“Lancaster resident Robert Jordan, 47, pleaded guilty Monday to infliction of great bodily injury upon a child in connection to the death of his disabled adopted son last fall.
He was sentenced to 20 years, suspended upon the active service of 14 years in prison, followed by five years of probation, said 6th Circuit Deputy Solicitor Lisa Collins.
Jordan was arrested Oct. 12 for the death of his 5-year-old adopted son, La’Marion Jordan. The boy died Sept. 4, 2015.
Jordan was in jail from Oct. 12 until April 14, when he bonded out.
He entered his plea June 13, but the judge requested a pre-sentencing investigation report from S.C. Probation and Parole. Jordan turned himself in, since he had pleaded guilty and remained in jail until the sentencing hearing Monday, July 25.
Jordan had no prior record and this appeared to be an isolated, but tragic incident, Collins said.
Jordan confessed to law enforcement that he flung La’Marion to the floor in reaction to the child scratching him on the face as he was getting him ready for school the morning of Sept. 4, 2015. As a result, La’Marion hit his head and began having seizures.
Jordan immediately called 911 and transported the child to Springs Memorial Hospital. The child was flown to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, where he died later that day, Collins said.
“There did not appear to be any malice or pre-planning,” Collins said.
The original charge of homicide by child abuse does not require there be malice or pre-planning.
Even though the autopsy clearly revealed the child died from blunt force injury to his head, Jordan was allowed to plead guilty to infliction of great bodily injury upon a child, rather than homicide by child abuse because he had no prior record and this was an isolated incident, Collins said.
Homicide by child abuse carries a minimum prison sentence of 20 years.
Collins said other care givers and teachers reported that the home appeared to be a loving one and La’Marion had been well-cared for prior to this incident.
La’Marion was wheelchair-bound and had cerebral palsy, requiring a lot of care, Collins said. All reports indicated that Jordan took good care of the child up until this event.
“This was a tragic, one-moment lapse in judgment,” Collins said. “He will pay a significant price for that.”
Jordan was a single father to La’Marion, who had been in his care since he was an infant, and another adopted son, who was 7 years old at the time.
The other boy was not home at the time of the incident. That child is now in the care of the Department of Social Services.”

Lancaster man pleads guilty in adopted son’s death [The Lancaster News 7/29/16 by Mandy Catoe]