JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The biological mother of an 8-year-old boy who died Friday morning after a TV set accidentally fell on him in his Wesconnett home is speaking out Saturday.
Police arrived about 5:15 a.m. at the home on Painted Pony Drive, just off Ortega Farms, and found the boy, identified by his foster mother as Christian Deron Dozier, unresponsive.
Christian's foster mother, Amy Peterson, said the TV was on the stand and Christian was kicking it while lying on his back on the floor, which caused the TV to move back, bounce off the wall and tip forward, falling on him.
Christian was pronounced dead at UF Health Jacksonville.
Christian’s biological mother, Ashley Hoover, spoke with News4Jax from her home in Lafayette, Louisiana, and said she was unaware that her son had died until she found out through social media.
“(I found out) over Facebook, telling me that my son was dead,” Hoover said. “I got another call from my other daughter, she called me and told me. That’s how I found out. I was never called by Amy Peterson, who has custody of my child. I was never informed of anything. That’s how I found out.”
Hoover said she lost custody of her son and two daughters about five years ago following drug charges. She said she’s since cleaned up her life and has been struggling to regain custody of her children.
“I got in trouble and went to jail and lost them,” Hoover said. “I had to do 11 to 29 (months) in jail, and I did all my drug classes, my parenting classes and because I didn’t have the money to get in my own home again, they didn’t want to help me.”
Hoover said she’s outraged that her son was put in a position where he would be killed.
Hoover said she hasn’t had much success with investigators and plans on driving to Jacksonville to try and find out more information.
“I don’t know where to start, because when I called yesterday to (the) Jacksonville Sheriff’s department to tell them that I was (Christian’s) biological mother and to find out any information,” Hoover said. “They hadn’t told me anything because I had lost custody and he (an officer) was very rude to me.”
The Department of Children and Families released a statement about the accident:
We are absolutely devastated for this family and our hearts go out to all those who cared for this child. The department has opened a child protective investigation regarding this terrible tragedy and we will assist law enforcement in any way appropriate.