State and local officials this morning gathered at Heritage State Park to dedicate the picnic grove in honor of autistic teen David Almond.
It was two years ago today that the 14-year-old Almond died, the victim of starvation and neglect at the hands of his father and his girlfriend.
David’s tragic death resulted in an exhaustive investigation on the part of the Office of the Child Advocate which faulted the state Department of Children & Families and the Fall River Public Schools for not being more attentive to Almond’s case.
Fall River State Representative Carole Fiola, who along with Senator Michael Rodrigues sponsored the resolution naming the grove after Almond, says his death has resulted in changes to how child neglect cases are handled.
The idea for naming the grove for Almond was made by city resident Michael Almeida. He did not know him but has worked with a number of children with disabilities, including his brother.
The Honorable Jay Spinale, First Justice of the Fall River Juvenile Court who oversaw Almond’s case, says there is not a day that goes by that he does not think of Almond and the impact he has made in reforming the justice system that looks for cases of neglect.
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