REMEMBERING KALEB

Kaleb Richard Lowery was a beloved baby boy born on October 22, 2012, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

His family affectionately called him Gooey Bug, a nickname preserved in the loving messages left on his memorial page. His mother remembered him with deep affection, and those who loved him spoke of the happiness he brought into their lives.

Kaleb was still discovering the world, surrounded by the little experiences that make infancy so special. His family remembered his sweet laughter, a precious sound they would never forget.

He should have had the opportunity to grow, play with his siblings, celebrate birthdays, and experience all the moments that make childhood meaningful.

Instead, Kaleb's life ended while he was staying with family members who had been entrusted with his care.

Although he lived for only nine months, he was deeply loved, and his memory remained precious to those who knew him.

KALEB'S STORY

In July 2013, Kaleb was living with his paternal grandfather and stepgrandmother, Charlene Workman, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

His father, Jarred Workman, later explained that his father and stepmother had been caring for Kaleb and his siblings while he was incarcerated.

On the evening of July 21, Charlene placed Kaleb in a car seat to sleep inside the family's home.

The following morning, July 22, she discovered him unresponsive.

Emergency services were called at approximately 6:50 a.m.

Kaleb was transported to Carolinas Medical Center Pineville, where medical personnel attempted to save him.

Their efforts were unsuccessful.

Kaleb was pronounced dead at nine months old.

An autopsy and toxicology examination later revealed that Kaleb had died from exposure to two medications.

One was amitriptyline, a prescription antidepressant. The other was diphenhydramine, an antihistamine commonly found in allergy medications.

Investigators reported that the amounts detected in his body were within lethal ranges.

The medical examiner determined that Kaleb's death resulted from the toxic effects of those medications and classified it as a homicide.

Investigators discovered that Charlene had a prescription for amitriptyline.

The medical findings raised serious questions about how the medications had entered Kaleb's body.

Authorities arrested Charlene in September 2013 and charged her with involuntary manslaughter.

Kaleb's father publicly expressed his grief and demanded answers about what had happened to his son.

What should have been an ordinary night in the care of family ended in a devastating loss.

JUSTICE FOR KALEB

Following Kaleb's death, Charlotte Mecklenburg police investigated the circumstances surrounding the fatal medication exposure.

Charlene Workman

Relationship to Kaleb: Stepgrandmother

Conviction: Involuntary manslaughter

Sentence: 16 to 29 months in prison, suspended upon successful completion of 36 months of supervised probation, with 45 days in the Mecklenburg County Jail as a condition of probation

On January 13, 2015, Charlene Workman pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in connection with Kaleb's death.

The court imposed a prison sentence of sixteen to twenty-nine months but suspended that sentence on the condition that she successfully complete thirty-six months of supervised probation.

As an additional condition of probation, Charlene was required to serve forty-five days in the Mecklenburg County Jail.

The sentence did not require her to serve the full prison term unless the suspended sentence was activated following a violation of probation.

The guilty plea established her criminal responsibility for the involuntary manslaughter of Kaleb.

For Kaleb's family, however, the legal proceedings could never undo the loss of their baby boy or restore the future he deserved.

FOREVER REMEMBERED

Kaleb Richard Lowery should have celebrated his first birthday surrounded by the people who loved him.

He should have taken his first steps, spoken his first words, played with his siblings, and grown into a little boy with his own interests, friendships, and dreams.

His family knew him as Gooey Bug, a sweet nickname that reflects the affection they carried for him.

The loving messages left in his memory speak of a baby whose laughter brought happiness and whose absence left an ache that could never truly disappear.

Kaleb deserved a lifetime of safe, happy moments and the chance to grow up surrounded by love.

Instead, his life ended before his first birthday.

But Kaleb will always be more than the circumstances of his death.

He was a son, a grandson, a brother, and a precious little boy whose brief life brought meaning to those around him.

His family remembered his laughter, his presence, and the love they would always carry for him.

Abuse Angels remembers Kaleb Richard Lowery.

Remembered. Honored. Never Forgotten.