Dr. Phil

Death by Salt: A Mom Accused

Hannah and Larry Overton were devout Christians, faithful missionaries and doting parents of four children. Their lives seemed content until they met a little foster child named Andrew, who needed a loving family, and they say immediately stole their hearts. But after only four short months of living with his new “forever family,” little Andrew died of salt intoxication. At trial, Andrew's foster mother, Hannah, who the media dubbed “Salt Mom,” was found guilty of killing Andrew with a lethal dose of salt, and she was sentenced to life in prison. But the story doesn’t end there. After serving seven years, Hannah’s conviction was reversed by the Court of Criminal Appeals for Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, and ultimately the charges against her were dismissed. Now free and back home with her husband and children, questions remain about the day Andrew died, the manner of his death and what prosecutors claimed was evidence of abuse and neglect.