In a tragic case that has raised concerns about the child protection system, an Alabama mother, Zedria Rankin, has avoided jail time after pleading guilty to child abuse in the 2018 death of her 8-year-old son, LeBrawn Rankin, who had cerebral palsy and weighed just 23 pounds when he passed away.
On April 6, 2018, LeBrawn was found unresponsive at their apartment in Mobile, and he was later pronounced dead. A civil lawsuit against Rankin and the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) alleges that officials from LeBrawn’s school had reported concerns to DHR about his possible abuse and neglect. LeBrawn, who used a wheelchair, was found to have suffered from severe dehydration, bed sores, poor hygiene, and neglect, including not having his diapers changed for extended periods.
LeBrawn’s shocking condition, weighing only 23 pounds at the time of his death, prompted a grand jury to indict Rankin in 2021 on charges of manslaughter and aggravated child abuse. The indictment stated that she had failed to provide food and care for him and had willfully maltreated him.
However, on Tuesday, Rankin pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of child abuse and was sentenced to three years of probation.
Mobile County District Attorney Keith Blackwood explained the plea deal, saying, “We are prosecutors, we want to get the bad guys, we have to do it in a way that is right and just, we don’t manufacture evidence.” He emphasized that the evidence pointed to neglect on Rankin’s part and described the situation as “tragic.
Rankin’s attorney, Rolando Rankin, clarified that her guilty plea was in her best interest and not an admission of guilt. Had she been convicted at trial, she could have faced up to 99 years in prison. He acknowledged the painful experience his client had been through and expressed her desire to find closure and continue healing.
While the criminal case has concluded, the civil case against Rankin and DHR remains ongoing. The lawsuit, filed in 2020 on behalf of LeBrawn’s estate, alleges that both Rankin and DHR acted negligently and caused the boy’s death. It claims that officials from LeBrawn’s school had repeatedly reported suspected abuse to DHR, indicating that the child should have been removed from his mother’s home for his safety.
The attorney representing LeBrawn’s estate, Tommy James, stated that the system had failed LeBrawn at every turn and called for changes to ensure such tragedies never happen again. He emphasized that no child should suffer as LeBrawn did.
A spokesman for DHR declined to comment on the ongoing lawsuit.
