REMEMBERING TOREY

Torey Vincent Dymond was just 16 months old when his life was taken on February 15, 2012, in Orlando, Florida.

Torey was a little boy who depended entirely on the adults around him for love, comfort, and protection. At his age, he was still discovering the world, learning to communicate, and experiencing the earliest milestones of childhood.

Instead, Torey was exposed to domestic violence, substance abuse, and dangerous circumstances that had already brought his family to the attention of Florida's Department of Children and Families.

Despite repeated concerns about his safety, Torey remained in danger.

His death would later become one of the cases examined in the Miami Herald's investigation into children who died after Florida child protection authorities had received warnings about their welfare.

Torey's Story

Before his death, Torey lived with his mother, Rosalia Poirier, in South Florida.

His mother's relationship with Clifton Alexander Frazier had raised concerns among relatives and child protection investigators.

Frazier had a history of criminal arrests, substance abuse, and violence.

According to reports reviewed during the investigation, Torey had already experienced injuries before the final assault.

Approximately five weeks before his death, Torey was taken to a hospital after reportedly falling from a chair and losing consciousness.

Days later, another incident occurred when Frazier allegedly assaulted Torey's mother during an argument.

Reports indicated that Torey was also injured during that confrontation.

On February 3, 2012, Poirier left Broward County with Torey and moved into Frazier's residence in Orlando.

On February 14, 2012, Frazier took Torey outside for a walk near their home on Pine Hawk Lane.

The two were gone for approximately two hours.

When Frazier returned, Torey's mother immediately noticed that something was terribly wrong.

Her son's face appeared discolored, and he was unresponsive.

Frazier claimed that Torey had fallen while walking and struck his head against the pavement.

He maintained that the child had been fine afterward.

Poirier called 911, and emergency responders rushed Torey to Florida Hospital East.

He was subsequently transferred to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children.

Medical personnel discovered severe injuries, including bleeding around the brain, retinal hemorrhages, bruising to his forehead and eyes, and evidence of oxygen deprivation.

Doctors determined that the injuries were suspicious for inflicted head trauma.

Torey required mechanical ventilation and could not breathe independently.

Despite efforts to save him, he died on February 15, 2012.

He was only 16 months old.

Warning Signs and System Failures

Torey's death followed a series of warnings about his safety.

His maternal grandmother, Loretta Young, had repeatedly expressed concerns about the circumstances in which he was living.

She asked Florida's Department of Children and Families to intervene and remove Torey from his mother's care.

Investigators were aware of allegations involving substance abuse, domestic violence, and unsafe conditions.

Approximately five weeks before Torey's death, he had been hospitalized after reportedly falling from a chair.

Another report described an incident in which Frazier physically assaulted Torey's mother and Torey was injured.

Despite these concerns, Torey remained in the household.

After Poirier moved with Torey to Orlando on February 3, 2012, investigators in Broward County requested that Orange County authorities check on the child's welfare.

That request was made on February 7.

However, the welfare visit was not completed before Torey suffered the injuries that ended his life.

On February 14, authorities received another report concerning Torey's condition.

By then, he had already suffered catastrophic injuries.

His case was later included in the Miami Herald's Innocents Lost investigation, which examined hundreds of child deaths involving prior contact with Florida's child welfare system.

Torey's grandmother publicly questioned why the repeated warnings had not resulted in stronger intervention.

His death illustrated the consequences of failing to recognize the combined danger presented by domestic violence, substance abuse, previous injuries, and repeated requests for help.

JUSTICE FOR TOREY

Following Torey's death, Clifton Alexander Frazier was arrested and charged in connection with the fatal injuries.

He was initially accused of aggravated child neglect.

After Torey died, authorities upgraded the charges to include first degree murder.

Investigators rejected Frazier's explanation that Torey had sustained his injuries through ordinary falls while walking.

Medical evidence demonstrated that the little boy had suffered severe head trauma.

Frazier was ultimately convicted of second degree murder.

He received a 35 year prison sentence.

Clifton Alexander Frazier

Relationship to Torey: Mother's boyfriend

Conviction(s): Second degree murder

Sentence: 35 years in prison

FOREVER REMEMBERED

Torey Vincent Dymond was only 16 months old.

He should have been learning new words, taking steps, playing with toys, and discovering the world around him.

He should have been celebrating birthdays and growing up surrounded by people who loved and protected him.

Instead, his life ended after severe physical abuse.

The warnings about Torey's safety had been documented before his death.

His grandmother had tried to obtain help.

Concerns about domestic violence and earlier injuries had been reported.

Yet Torey remained in danger.

His story became part of a broader investigation into failures within Florida's child protection system.

But Torey deserves to be remembered for more than those failures.

He was a little boy whose life mattered.

He deserved to be held gently, comforted when he cried, and protected from harm.

He deserved the opportunity to grow up.

There should have been a second birthday, childhood friendships, school pictures, and years of memories.

Instead, his family was left grieving a little boy whose life had barely begun.

Torey Vincent Dymond deserved safety, love, and a future.

His name deserves to be remembered.

Abuse Angels remembers Torey Vincent Dymond.

Remembered. Honored. Never Forgotten.