Tag Archives: Jessica Scovil

Good news out of Georgia this week! Remember Jessica Scovil, the 9-month old baby who died of heatstroke from being strapped into a hot mini-van for two hours while her foster mother, Wendy Osborne, snoozed off strep throat medication? On November 26, Osborne, 29, was indicted by the Jackson County Grand Jury on charges of involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct. She faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000 on the manslaughter charge and up to 1 year in jail and a fine of up to $1,000 on the other. Osborne will be arraigned on December 11. Piedmont Circuit DA Rick Bridgeman said in a press release that Osborne unintentionally caused Jessica’s death “by consciously disregarding a substantial and justifiable risk by leaving her in the car.” ( I have been unable to locate the press release online, and am quoting from news articles). Jessica’s father Robert Scovil told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, that he’s happy with the indictment. “She [Osborne] made a mistake, and she’s going to have to pay for her mistake. We’re going to have some justice for Jessica.” Jessica was removed from her parents Evelyn Carter and Robert Scovil on an Continue Reading →

According to Sunday’s Atlanta Journal Constitution, Jesssica Scovil was removed from the care of her parents Evelyn Carter and Robert Scovil on an anonymous tip filed with Jackson County DYFS: Like many new parents, they (Carter and Scovil) struggled to cope with their new family responsibilities. They lived in a government-subsidized home in Jackson County, about 60 miles northeast of Atlanta. Then one day in March, the state child welfare agency appeared at their door, responding to an anonymous complaint that Jessica was not receiving proper parenting and supervision. The person said Evelyn Carter had not bonded with her child and that baby Jessica had not been kept clean, according to agency records… DYFS also claimed it received a report that Robert Scovil had driven drunk with Jessica in the car, a claim he denies. A month later (April 2008) DYFS removed Jessica from her parents for everybody’s own good and placed her with the more responsible Wendy Osborne, 29, a veteran foster care provider and an adoptive mother with a record as spotless as eternal sunshine. On September 2 Osborne left Jessica in an over-heated Dodge Caravan to die while she slept off a medically induced stupor in the Continue Reading →

Jessica Scovil’s maternal grandmother, Tina Swatkowski, said it all with class (if that is the correct word under the circumstances): the system failed both her daughter Evelyn Carter who “temporarily” lost Jessica to child welfare Grundys and Wendy Osborne, the foster mother who accidentally left Jessica in a hot car to die of heat stroke. (see previous blog) In a statement released Monday, Swatkowski said: Evelyn needed supports put into place and not to have her daughter taken from her. The foster mother must have been overwhelmed to have left Baby Jessica in the van like she did. So I guess the system not only doesn’t support birth parents, they don’t even give foster parents the support they need. “The system is broke and needs to be fixed,” Don’t let Jessica die in vain, let’s get justice for Jessica, let’s change the system.” Swatkowski said that Jessica was removed temporarily from Evelyn after she asked for help in dealing with her bi-polar disorder.I guess that’ll teach her to think the state cares! Evelyn and Jessica’s father, Robert Scovil played by the rules and all they got for it is a dead baby. A woman going by the name of “Amanda” Continue Reading →

Chase Harrison has a new playmate in the great steam cooker in the sky. The Athens Banner-Herald (Georgia) reports that Jessica Scovil, of Nicholson, was found dead Tuesday of heat stroke after being left in a minivan by her FOSTER MOTHER for least two hours (reports vary) in 80+ degree heat. Her core temperature, measured at the hospital, was above 108 degrees. Jessica was one day short of 9 months old. According to the report: foster mother Wendy Osborn, 29, told sheriff’s investigators that she came home from a doctor’s appointment shortly before 3 p.m., unloaded two adopted 3-year-old girls from the van and went inside. Once inside, Osborne lay down for a nap while the other two children played. She woke up about 5 p.m., Cochran said, and rushed outside to find Jessica unresponsive in her car seat. Osborne was reportedly taking medication that might have made her sleepy and disoriented. Jessica’s parents, Evelyn Carter and Robert Scovil , only learned of the death on Wednesday. Jessica was removed from the couple in April because Carver had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, but says that medication lets her lead a normal life. Normal that is, to everybody Continue Reading →