Boy returned to his biological mother, dies

4-year-old boy's death a mystery
Autopsy today
Desker, Theodore. Columbus Dispatch, March 9, 2007, pg. B6.

An autopsy today should give police a better idea of what killed a 4-year-old North Linden boy yesterday.

Medics found Antwan E. Bowman Jr. in cardiac arrest when they arrived at 10:12 a.m. at his home at 1603 Briarwood Ave., just west of Cleveland Avenue.

He was taken to Children's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11:23 a.m.

Neighbor Makeda Naeem said she could tell by the frantic actions of the medics that the situation was dire.

"I knew that baby was dead when they brought him out," she said.

Family members said the boy and his four siblings lived with their mother, Monica Dumas, 31, and her boyfriend at the house. Dumas was home at the time and called for help.

Relatives of the child's father, who does not live with Dumas, alleged that the children were being mistreated, leading to the intervention of Franklin County Children Services last year.

The agency confirmed its involvement with the family but said it stemmed from a lack of supervision by Dumas, not evidence of physical abuse.

Four of Dumas' five children were taken from the home in April 2006 and placed first in foster care and then with relatives. They were returned to Dumas on Feb. 23, said agency Executive Director Eric Fenner. Dumas' oldest child had remained with her, Fenner said.

Homicide detectives said they didn't know whether foul play was involved. No one was charged yesterday in connection with the death, they said.

"We don't know why this child died," detective James McCoskey said. "The doctors at Children's don't either."

Neighbors, friends and family said Antwan was a cheery boy who would rove the block asking for food.

Dumas worked at a McDonald's and more recently a Giant Eagle, residents said.

Alicia White, a friend of the Bowman family, said she often went shopping with Antwan's aunt and the boy.

"He was a fun kid that, you know, anybody would want to baby-sit him," White said. "He would just bust out and sing a song."

Fenner said his agency was still involved with the family when the death occurred and that Dumas has seemed sincere in her attempts to improve her parenting.

A caseworker visited the family last on Feb. 26, and all seemed fine, he said.

Great-grandfather William Bowman said a burn that Antwan suffered on his arm last year first prompted the agency's involvement.

"The mother wasn't taking care of them," Bowman said. "Why did they give that boy back?"

"That burn was the result of that lack of supervision," Fenner said. "It was not the result of an intentional act on the part of the parent."

Dumas' other children were back with relatives yesterday, Fenner said.

Given Dumas' progress in the past year, he stood by the decision to return the children to the home.

"That was the appropriate action to take at that time," Fenner said.

Caption: Medics found Antwan E. Bowman Jr. in cardiac arrest when they arrived yesterday at his home in North Linden.