UPDATE (March 21 at 11:12 p.m.) — NewsChannel 9 has confirmed with the Oswego County Sheriff’s office that Lisa and Anthony Waldron have made bail.
Bail was set at $10,000 for Lisa Waldron and double that, $20,000 for Anthony Waldron as prosecutors and the judge considered him likely to not come back to court if he gets out siting his unwillingness to voluntarily comply during the arrest.
Both Lisa and Anthony Waldron will appear back in court in two weeks on April 4 at 5:00 p.m. at the Town of Palermo court.
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UPDATE (March 18 at 6:45 p.m.) — NewsChannel 9 obtained pages and pages of witness statements in regards to Jordan, the 17-year-old with cerebral palsy who died in May of 2021. Many of the witnesses were people who worked one on one with Jordan at the Mexico Central School District.
All of the statements say Jordan was rapidly deteriorating. Many of the witnesses shared the same thing with investigators. They said Jordan was clearly not getting the care he needed at home, but when they reached out to child protective services, they say their concerns were often dismissed.
It appeared the first call made to CPS was in the Spring of 2019. Multiple calls to their hotline were also made the remainder of that year and each time they were told a caseworker would be coming to the school, but they say that only happened once.
Other occasions happened in front of the home and the employee said the caseworker “demonstrated hostility and annoyance with school staff for making hotline calls.” She added that in such situations, “the parents should be given the benefit of the doubt, because they are trying as hard as they can.”
A physical therapist says after an initial call to CPS, “Jordan became a shell of his former self, rarely joking and laughing as he previously did.” He was described by many as happy and funny. She said they were then concerned to make any more calls. “We were always nervous to make an initial call to CPS due to how the call the previous year impacted Jordan, and we feared that if a call to CPS was not enough to warrant intervention on their part, it would only result in making things more difficult for Jordan.”
Once the pandemic hit and school went virtual, employees expressed concern for Jordan’s care at home. “The team and I were all very concerned for Jordan’s health and safety. When we were in school, we were able to care for Jordan, ensuring that he was cleaned, changed, positioned, stretched, and appropriately fed throughout the day, 5 days a week. We worried how at home, with no one to monitor Jordan’s condition, would he be properly cared for…”
In the months leading up to his death, it was reported that Jordan’s parents were cancelling therapy appointments. At one point, there was a request for a change in speech therapists. An employee with the district scheduled a virtual meeting with officials and the parents. According to the employee, “I scheduled a CSE meeting to discuss the change. At that meeting (virtual) the stepfather yelled and screamed that the district was harassing the family and would be sued.”
Jordan died soon after that meeting. We have reached out to Oswego County Department of Social Services regarding these statements:
“Oswego County has received several media inquiries regarding the Waldron case. The county understands and agrees with the importance of media coverage of events of interest and will do its best to provide accurate and complete information. Media inquiries and reports are citing statements made in court filings that the Oswego County Department of Social Services has not yet received. The Commissioner is requesting those documents for review, and will provide a statement early next week to address media questions raised in recent days.”
(WSYR-TV) — An Oswego County teen, who had cerebral palsy, passed away last May, and nearly a year after his death, his mother and stepfather have been arrested.
Lisa Waldron and Anthony Waldron, the stepfather, have been charged for second degree manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person in the first degree, according to a press release sent by the Oswego County Sheriff’s Office.
Police say they responded to a call in the Town of Palermo on May 9, 2021, where a 17-year-old teen was found unresponsive. After going to the hospital, he was pronounced dead. The sheriff’s office says the teen was found severely underweight with bedsores on his body.
Deputies interviewed the teen’s teachers, doctors, parents and therapists, and a medical examiners finalized report this past February ruled “the death a homicide caused in part by infection and malnutrition.”
The teen, who was a Mexico City School District student, was 55 pounds when he was found. Police tell NewsChannel 9 that the school district notified Oswego County Department of Social Services more than once about the teen.
“The loss is still felt today across the Mexico Academy and Central School District family. Our thoughts are with all who continue to grieve his passing. As the latest news in the case is likely to have caused a wave of emotions in those who knew (him), we have made counseling available to both students and staff. We will always remember Jordan and his contributions to MACS.”
Donna Runner, Superintendent/Mexico Academy & Central School District
The couple was arraigned Wednesday night in Oswego County CAP Court. Both plead not guilty to all charges. An Order of Protection was also issued for both defendants for their 14-year-old daughter.
Bail was set at $10,000 for Lisa Waldron and double that, $20,000 for Anthony Waldron as prosecutors and the judge considered him likely to not come back to court if he gets out siting his unwillingness to voluntarily comply during the arrest.
Anthony Waldron will have a preliminary hearing on March 22 at 9am in the Town of Palermo and then both defendants will appear in court on April 4 at 5 pm.
Oswego County Department of Social Services released a statement Thursday, March 17 about the incident
Statement from Oswego County DSS Commissioner Stacy Alvord
The reported death of a 17-year-old with cerebral palsy is a tragedy and our hearts break for him and those who knew and loved him. We express our sincere condolences and join others throughout our community as we mourn the loss of this young life.
A lengthy and thorough investigation determined that this young man was not provided with the care he desperately needed and deserved. The matter is now in the hands of law enforcement and the courts. The Oswego County Department of Social Services (DSS) coordinates its efforts with law enforcement. We have faith and trust in our public safety and court systems that the justice this young man deserves will be served.
Law enforcement and criminal proceedings may ultimately provide further details of this tragedy, but DSS cannot comment on anything that could potentially impact a criminal investigation or compromise a fair trial.
Child and Family Services is one of many agencies in our community that provides services for children and youth. DSS works collaboratively with schools, health care providers, therapists, law enforcement, and many other public and private health and human service providers in our region. It takes all of us to watch out and care for the most vulnerable among us.Family and close friends are critical to watching out for vulnerable children because they know parents intimately. We encourage those who suspect a child is in harm’s way to reach out to their parents and offer support and respite in caring for children. We also encourage those who suspect child maltreatment to call the State Central Registry at 1-800-342-3720.