LYNCHBURG, Va. – Family members and friends are reacting to the death of a Lynchburg toddler.
Police said Tuesday that 22-month-old Amarah Lane died Thursday after being in a hospital since this past Saturday, and the child’s 20-year-old mother, Fantasia Lane, is under arrest in Lynchburg, charged with felony abuse.
Family members react
Family members and friends on the father’s side of the family said they’re heartbroken, and they believed Amarah was in danger her entire young life. They said they tried in every way they could think of to be in the child’s life and care for her.
Amarah's father, along with other family members and friends, visited the Charlottesville hospital room earlier this week. They said doctors told them the toddler’s brain activity stopped.
Inside the Woody family's northwest Roanoke house Friday, family members and friends said they heard the news of Amarah’s death through media reports. They gave 10 News details of their nearly two-year-long struggle to get custody.
“I'm very angry, and I'm a tough cookie. I just couldn't process. (I) hear voices of little angels and little children,” said longtime family friend Kenyatta Spencer.
They're frustrated with the social workers and court proceedings in the custody case.
“The treatment and the disrespect, in writing as well as face to face, has just been overwhelming. It's like a bad nightmare that's gone on,” Spencer said.
They said they have backgrounds in health care and early education and made a strong case to get custody. They said the child's grandmother, Sonya Woody, got approval for her home from the city to care for Amarah.
Spencer said Woody traveled to Lynchburg many times to try to visit with Amarah, including going for health appointments, but was often unable to see her.
"She has laid down everything for this child,” Spencer said of Woody.
Carolyn Jones, the child’s great grandmother, said family members on the father’s side visited with the little girl fewer than ten times.
“What really drew us was the abuse. She's got burns. She's got hands covered from being restrained. I so understood what that was, being a nurse, how serious that was,” Jones said.
Woman says pictures show abuse
Lynchburg resident Cynthia Puryear, who said she knows Lane, shared pictures with 10 News Friday. She said they’re from Lane’s phone and show bruises, signs of previous abuse, from when the child was in her mother's care.
"I couldn't look at them. It was too heartbreaking,” Puryear said.
She said she filed a report with the Department of Human Services less than two weeks ago. She said she saw a change in the toddler’s behavior over time.
“When I saw her, she was a totally different child. She didn't smile. She didn't get down and run and play or anything,” she said.
Puryear said Lane is eight-months pregnant with another child.
Other notes
The Department of Human Services did not comment on questions from 10 News about the history of complaints in this case. The department did comment on this week’s events, saying it took appropriate action when workers responded to the hospital.
Lynchburg police did not comment further on the case Friday. They said the investigation is active and ongoing.
10 News could not find any prior criminal record for Lane.
Family members and friends will hold a vigil for Amarah Sunday at 5 p.m. at Salem’s First Baptist Church. There’s a GoFundMe page to collect donations for costs.
Original story, 12:19 p.m. Aug. 17:
A 22-month old is dead and her mother is in jail.
On August 11, officers responded to the Lynchburg General Hospital for an injured child, 22-month-old Amarah Lane, who had been brought there by her mother.
Police say members of the Criminal Investigations Division began to look into the events that preceded the child's arrival at the hospital.
PHOTOS: 22-month-old dies after police say she was abused by mother
Due to the extent of her injuries, Lane was then transported to UVA Medical Center in Charlottesville, VA for further treatment.
Based on the preliminary investigation and the extent of the child's injuries, a detective sought charges on the child's mother for Felony Child Abuse.
Fantasia Ashante Lane, a 20-year-old resident of Lynchburg, was arrested and taken to the Blue Ridge Regional Jail where she was held without bond.
On Thursday, the infant died from her injuries.
Additional charges are now pending in this case.
Lynchburg's Human Services Department issued the following statement in response to the case:
On Saturday, August 11, the City of Lynchburg’s Human Services Department received a complaint regarding potential child abuse and neglect of a 22-month-old child at Lynchburg General Hospital.
Child Protective Services personnel responded to the hospital and thereafter, took appropriate action to protect the child who was transported to the University of Virginia Hospital. Unfortunately, the child passed away at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 16, 2018 at the University of Virginia Hospital.
Under Virginia law, all information contained in the files of the Lynchburg Human Services Department is confidential and may not be released. Accordingly, no further statements will be made concerning this matter. Please refer to the press release from the Lynchburg Police Department and direct all further inquiries to that department.
According to data from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System, parents were responsible for 78 percent of child abuse or neglect deaths and more than one-quarter of those deaths were carried out by the mother.
This is an active and ongoing investigation. Anyone with further information is asked to contact police.