Nadine Lockwood
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Nadine Lockwood (September 1991-August 31, 1996) was a four-year-old child from Washington Heights, New York who was murdered by her mother.
Nadine was systematically starved to death by her mother, Carla Lockwood. Lockwood admitted to police that she hated the little girl, and specifically singled her out for abuse. She kept Nadine, whom she referred to as "it", in squalid conditions, locked in a room in a covered crib. When Nadine was found dead, less than a month before her fifth birthday, she weighed only 15 and a half pounds--the recommended weight for an infant.
Nadine became known in New York-based tabloid papers such as The Daily News and The New York Post due to the gruesome and tragic circumstances surrounding her death. The press called her "the girl who was never loved" and followed the trials of both of her parents closely. Her story was also publicized because it greatly paralleled that of Elisa Izquierdo--both girls had been singled out, among their numerous siblings, for abuse. Later, the case would also be compared to that of Nixzmary Brown, another child that was specifically targeted for abuse by a parent.
Nadine's death came only nine months after the murder of Elisa Izquierdo, also at the hands of her mother. The case called the New York City child welfare system's ability to protect endangered children sharply into focus once again. As in the Izquierdo case, it was revealed that many potential opportunities to intervene had been missed. The family had been known to city agencies since 1989, when neglect proceedings were initiated because one of Lockwood's other children tested positive for cocaine at birth. The matter was dropped when Lockwood entered a drug treatment program. Nadine herself had tested positive for cocaine at birth, but again, a case against Lockwood was dismissed within six months. Neighbors allegedly called the Child Welfare Administration several times in regards to Nadine's abuse. Four of Nadine's siblings had abysmal attendance rates at local public schools and were missing required immunizations, but little was done to investigate the reasons behind their absences from class. The mishandling of Nadine's case was one of the factors that prompted a major overhaul of New York City's child protective services and protocols for investigating abuse allegations.
Carla Lockwood eventually pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and received a 15 years to life sentence. Nadine's father, Leroy Dickerson, went to trial, was also convicted of second-degree murder and received a 25 years to life sentence.
External links and references
- [Review begins in case of starved girl], CNN, September 3, 1996
- ["Funeral held for NY girl starved to death"], CNN, September 9, 1996
- [Starved child--Sentencing], Associated Press, August 8, 2002
- [link] Special Commissioner of Investigation for NYC Public School--Report on the Lockwood case (PDF file)
- ["Fatal Preservation"] City Journal, 1997
- ["Children deserve chance to live",] Orlando Sentinel, December 22, 1996
- ["When home is hell"], Washington Post, December 1, 1996
- ["For dead child's family, long history of troubles"] New York Times, September 5, 1996
See also
- child abuse
- The death of Elisa Izquierdo
- The death of Nixzmary Brown
- The death of Joseph Wallace
- The death of Justina Morales
- The death of Candace Newmaker
- The David Pelzer case
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