Fall River couple indicted a second time in the death of autistic teen David Almond

FALL RIVER — The Fall River couple accused of starving to death the man’s 14-year-old autistic son, David Almond, and severely abusing one of his brothers, were back in Bristol County Superior Court on Monday. 

In separate hearings before Superior Court Judge Sharon Donatelle, John Almond and Jacyln Marie Coleman, of 107 Green St., each pleaded not guilty on a second indictment that includes two charges each for reckless endangerment of a child and possessing a Class A substance. 

The pair were previously indicted for the murder of David Almond in March and have been held without bail since their arrest. First-responders found the emaciated and bruised autistic teenager in the couple’s Green Street apartment in October 2020. 

During Monday’s hearings, Donatelle ordered Bristol County Assistant District Attorney Silvia Rudman’s motion that the pair not have any contact with their now 4-year-old son, who is currently in foster care. 

Child Advocate report on David Almond:Child Advocate report finds fault with DCF, Fall River Public Schools in death of autistic teen

Almond is the biological father of the triplets, which included David Almond, and the youngest child, whose biological mother is Coleman. 

Donatelle initially declined to grant the no-contact order against Coleman with her son, who was 3-years-old at the time of the step-brother's death, until Rudman clarified that the boy was one of the victims named in the second indictment. 

Coleman’s defense attorney, Michael Hussey, had asked that the no-contact order be denied and said that Coleman had been able to write to her son and send pictures through the foster parents. 

“She has no personal interaction with him, no phone conversations with him or Zoom contact with him,” Hussey said before the judge granted the no-contact order. 

The pair were previously ordered to have no contact with the surviving triplets. 

Toddler reportedly had fentanyl in his system 

After the gruesome discovery of an unresponsive David Almond and his triplet and autistic brother Michael Almond, the toddler was found to have fentanyl in his system. 

Michael Almond was taken to Hasbro Children’s Hospital for long-term care and later released into the care of the Department of Children and Families. 

What led to David Almond's death:Visible injuries, scrubbing floors with a toothbrush: Shocking details in teen's death

A third autistic triplet was not living with Almond and Coleman at the time and is a resident in a special facility. 

The alleged abuse of David Almond and his brother sent shockwaves in the community and statewide as reports emerged that the boys, who were 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighed just 80 pounds when rescue workers found them. 

The brothers were found wearing feces-soiled adult diapers and covered in fecal matter with marks on their bodies that indicated they had been restrained.  

Office of Child Advocate investigation

While Almond and Coleman are facing serious charges, the circumstances of the abuse case were also found to be an indictment against several state and local systems meant to protect children. 

It sparked an intensive five-month investigation by the Office of the Child Advocate, which produced a scathing view of multi-agency failures of child welfare safeguards that could have saved the young teenager’s life.   

In a report, Child Advocate Maria Mossaides and her investigative team were particularly critical of the role of the Department of Children and Families, which had been supervising the family for years.  

The anniversary:David Almond starved to death a year ago. Here's what is being done to prevent tragedy.

DCF removed the triplets and the half-brother from Almond and Coleman’s care in 2017. The three autistic boys were sent to a special facility, where they were reportedly flourishing. 

The children had been removed from the couple’s care three times previously. 

But just days before Gov. Charlie Baker shut down the state due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the triplets and their half-brother were returned in March 2020 to Almond and Coleman’s custody in the two-bedroom apartment they shared with his mother, Ann Shadburn. 

At the time of David Almond’s death, investigators reported finding hundreds of glassine baggies containing residue of heroin and fentanyl, and Almond and Shadburn reportedly admitted to using drugs. 

Fall River school system faulted

The Office of the Child Advocate’s report also laid blame on the Fall River School Department which, although had both boys enrolled in school as special education students, never had contact with the children either in person or remotely.  

OCA also pointed to failures in the family court system and the order to return of the boys in the couple’s care. 

Pleading for oversight:Lawmakers cite Almond case in Fall River in pitch for new foster care laws

Motions filed by Almond's attorney

A recent flurry of motions filed by Almond’s attorney, James Hanley, could be a clue to the defense strategy that could lay blame to those institutions identified by the child advocate. 

Among the 11 motions filed earlier this month, requests for statutorily privileged records including those of the OCA’s investigation and St. Vincent’s Services, where Almond, his children and Shadburn were provided services, according to a court document. 

Hanley is also asking the Bristol County District Attorney’s office for their witness list for the case or their testimony. 

Shadburn, who was living in the apartment at the time of the alleged abuse against the two brothers, was never charged with any crime related to the case. 

Hanley also requested more funds for investigation purposes and to hire a jury selection specialist. 

Almond and Coleman have a pre-trial conference on Jan. 18. 

Jo C. Goode may be reached at jgoode@heraldnews.com. Support local journalism and subscribe to The Herald News today!