Tanner Jurisch
April 25, 2005 - January 18, 2007
Born on April 15, 2005 to Ashley Egbert and Eric Jurisch,
Tanner came into the world as a twin brother to Trent and a younger brother
to Izaak. At a very young age, five weeks old, all three boys were taken
away from their mother and placed in foster homes. The boys remained in
foster homes until in either the month of July or August of that year when
they were returned to their mother who was, by then, living with a man
named Matthew Porter who seemed to be a nice guy and was liked by the entire
family.
Saying goodbye to a loved one who has passed away
is never easier. Harder still, is saying goodbye to a child who never had
a chance to live the life they were meant to live because they died at
the hands of those who should have been there to protect and love them.
An autopsy report shows that Tanner Jurisch died due to acute subdural
hemorrhaging and acute subarachnoid
| hemorrhaging. Tanner was only 18 months
old and died by what is more commonly known as "shaken baby syndrome".
On January 17, 2007 Jessica Egbert
returned a call to her sisters boyfriend, not knowing
it would forever change her life. Matthew Porter had called to tell her
that Tanner was not breathing properly. When she arrived at the home she
told him to call an ambulance. At that time, she had no idea what had caused
this condition in her nephew. Tanner has a twin |
|
brother named Trent and another brother named Izaak
and both of them were there during this time.Jessica talked to Tanner while
waiting for the ambulance to get there. Matthew went in the ambulance with
Tanner and Jessica stayed with her nephews. How could she have known that
the man she had trusted was taking good care of her nephews, was the cause
of the injuries that Tanner had suffered?
The police told Jessica they were going to take
the two remaining boys and she tried to get a hold her sister and ended
up talking to the police instead. She was told at that time that her nephew
was in surgery with a cracked skull. At the hospital, Jessica joined her
family and tried to tell them something was wrong because her nephew Izaak
didn't want to go home with Matthew. When Jessica joined her sister, mother
and aunt she learned that Tanner's chances at living were very slim and
even if he did live, he would be brain dead.
On January 18, 2007 Tanner became an Angel. Tanner
is now another victim of the many cases of abuse related deaths in children.
Matthew Porter, whohad originally been arrested for aggravated
 |
assault,was then charged
with second degree murder. Matthew was able to meet a $20,000. bond in
August of 2008. In November of 2008, Matthew was out on bond and under
house arrest when he was re-arrested for failing to appear in court on
two different occasions. Police found him at home resting on his couch.
He had told his
attorney that he was sick. |
Prosecutors feel that Matthew Porter is a flight
risk and that he should never have been able to bond out. Matthew Porter
will go to trial in January of 2009. We can only hope that he will face
the rest of his lifein prison for what he has done to Tanner and to his
brother Izaak.
Tanner's brothers were once again placed in foster
homes and it was later discovered that Izaak had bruising to his skull
from being punched in the back of his head. As well as the skull bruising,
he had cigarette burns on his neck.
No charges were filed against Ashley Agbert who
was not home at the time of the abuse. Ashley is currently fighting to
regain custody of her two remaining children who, at this time, live with
their biological father.
Updates:
January 2, 2009:
Matthew Porter pled guilty to first degree manslaughter
though he claimed that it was an accident because he was trying to get
Tanner out of the way as he was trying to discipline one of his siblings.
Matthew Porter is facing life in prison and will be sentenced at the end
of January 2009. I can only hope and pray that he will never be free to
harm another child.
February 2, 2009:
Newspapers reported that Judge Merton Tice took
himself off of the case
of Matther Potter. He didn't give an explanation
as for why.
A new judge took over the case and Matthew was given
the choice to
withdraw his guilty plea, he asked for time to
think about it.
February 23, 2009:
Matthew Potter entered a plea of guilty, to first
degree manslaughter. The
new judge in his case, Jeff Davis accepted his
plea and will sentence him
on March 24, 2009.
My appreciation goes out to Jessica
for providing me with information to use in telling Tanners's story. My
heart goes out to her and her family and to all of the families and children
of the world who go through so much when abuse takes place.
For information about preventing child abuse in the
state of South Dakota, click the links below. If they can't help you, ask
for someone who can. NEVER give up looking for help for an abused
child!
Call this number to report
child abuse ANY WHERE in the United States!
1-800-4-A-Child
1-800-422-4453
  
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