REMEMBERING ZACHARIAH

Zachariah Chase Ward was born on November 19, 2004, in Lubbock, Texas. He was only a baby. At eight months old, Zachariah was still at the very beginning of his life. He should have had years ahead of him to learn to walk, speak his first words, discover the things that made him laugh and grow into the person he would become. Instead, Zachariah died on July 21, 2005. His life lasted only eight months. The criminal case that followed his death would eventually establish that the person responsible for caring for him, his mother Teresa Kincaid, had negligently failed him in a way that resulted in his death.

ZACHARIAH'S STORY

Zachariah was living in New Mexico when his life ended in July 2005. He was eight months old and completely dependent upon the adults around him for every basic need. An infant cannot obtain food or water for himself. He cannot recognize a medical emergency and ask to be taken to a doctor. He cannot leave an unsafe situation.

He depends entirely upon his caregiver to recognize his needs and protect his life. On July 21, 2005, Zachariah died. His death resulted in a criminal investigation involving his mother, Teresa Kincaid. The case ultimately led prosecutors to pursue a charge of negligent child abuse resulting in death. That charge is significant.

Zachariah's case was not treated simply as the unexplained death of an infant. His death was connected to criminal neglect by the person responsible for his care.

Teresa Kincaid eventually accepted legal responsibility by entering a no contest plea to negligent child abuse resulting in death. Zachariah had lived for only eight months. He never reached his first birthday.

JUSTICE FOR ZACHARIAH

Years after Zachariah's death, the criminal case against his mother reached its conclusion. Teresa Kincaid entered a no contest plea to negligent child abuse resulting in death. By entering that plea, Kincaid did not formally admit guilt, but she accepted conviction without contesting the charge against her. The conviction recognized what Zachariah's death represented under New Mexico law. An eight month old baby had died as a result of criminal neglect while dependent upon his mother for care.

 

Teresa Kincaid

Relationship to Zachariah: Mother

Conviction: Negligent child abuse resulting in death

FOREVER REMEMBERED

Zachariah's life can be reduced to dates frighteningly easily. November 19, 2004. July 21, 2005. Eight months. But there was an entire little person between those dates. Zachariah was once a newborn baby being held for the first time. He experienced his first Christmas. He saw his first spring. He reached six months old. Seven months old. Eight months old. And then there were no more milestones. He never celebrated his first birthday. He never took a first day of school photograph. He never learned to write his name. He never had the opportunity to tell anyone what he wanted to be when he grew up. Zachariah's grave is at Memory Gardens in Hobbs, New Mexico, where the little boy whose life lasted only eight months was laid to rest. His story deserves to be remembered for more than the criminal case that followed his death.

His name was Zachariah Chase Ward. He was here. His life mattered. And he deserved the chance to grow up. Abuse Angels remembers Zachariah Chase Ward, a little boy whose life ended when he was only eight months old. We remember Zachariah. We speak his name. And Zachariah Chase Ward will not be forgotten.