GASTON COUNTY, N.C.,None — The family of 2-year-old Addison Lanham wants to prove they went above and beyond to try and save a little girl from an unhealthy environment.
Lanham died earlier this month after an untreated infection entered her bloodstream, killing her. The toddler also had a broken leg that went untreated, police said.
Addison's mother, Shanna Lanham, and her mother's boyfriend, Jason Wells, were charged with felony child abuse, involuntary manslaughter and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Both Lanham's family and Wells' family said they contacted the Department of Social Services six times this year asking for help.
Now more documents show they contacted other county agencies as well.
Jason's cousin, Kim Wells, said she left several messages at the Gaston County Probation and Parole Department in early June, saying she lived with Shanna Lanham and saw her abusing drugs.
Wells said she never received a return phone call, so she reached out to Shanna's probation officer on Facebook, begging for help.
On June 12, Wells wrote a message to Officer Carlton Whit Ogg saying that Shanna has been selling her medicine.
Ogg responded, "How do you know this?"
On June 13, Wells wrote "I don't know if that baby is eating. Shanna is strung out on crack and Xanax. She is selling all her pills. Addison her daughter doesn't have any clothes and I'm not sure she is eating. I called DSS on her and her cousin called the cops. Please help Addison."
"Why wouldn't you be concerned about an infant not eating? And drugs being used in front of them? Why would you not go check?" Wells said.
Wells said she followed up with more phone calls but never got a call back.
"I'm irate about it. I mean, I'm completely just full of anger," she said.
Wells said she wants to prove both families went above and beyond to try and save Addison.
Eyewitness News left a message with the Gaston County Probation and Parole Department, but the office was closed on Sunday night.
Hundreds Attend Addison's Funeral
About 300 family members, friends and total strangers attended the funeral of Addison Grace Lanham Saturday afternoon.
"Addison could walk into a dark room and put light in it just with her smile," said Linda Bryant, a family friend.
Most people who attended the funeral at Ragan Wesleyan Church in Gastonia said they wanted to push past the hurt and anger and focus on the little girl they said died too soon.
VIDEO: Hundreds Gather To Remember Gaston County Toddler
"I know that she can rest in peace now. I know that she's in heaven and she'll never have to hurt again," said Aletha Crowe, Lanham's cousin.
Addison was buried at Westview Gardens in Bessemer City.
Shanna Lanham requested to be at the funeral, but her attorney didn't file a motion that would let her out of jail.
"Just with people and the anger and everything, it's probably best that she wasn't here," said Crowe.
Family Speaks Out About Calling DSS
On Friday night, family and friends held a visitation and candlelight vigil to remember Addison. Family members revealed how they tried to protect her.
The families of both Shanna Lanham and Wells told Eyewitness News they did everything in their power to save the young girl.
"I'm not justifying Jason, and I'm not justifying Shanna. God will deal with them. We are here for Addison and Addison only," said Kim Wells, Wells' cousin.
VIDEO: Family, Friends Remember Local Toddler
Kim Wells said she called the Department of Social Services twice this year -- once in January and then again in April. She said she told them if they didn't intervene, 2-year-old Addison could lose her life.
Wells said she also twice emailed Lanham's probation officer, telling them she was abusing prescription medication and neglecting her daughter.
"I blame Jason and Shanna for what happened to Addison. But I blame DSS for allowing it to happen, because they had ample opportunity to step in and save this child," she said.
Lanham's cousin, Stacey Drewery, said she called DSS twice in June and said she was fearful for Addison's safety. She also said she called police several times.
"I actually called 911 and asked them what would happen if I took Addison out of the hotel room, and they said I could be cited for kidnapping, even though I knew she was being abused. And that's gotta change," Drewery said.
"I remember I slammed down the phone crying, thinking, 'Wow, really?'" she added.
SLIDESHOW: Photos Of Addison Lanham
Drewery said she plans on pressing lawmakers to get them to make it easier for extended family members to intervene if they suspect abuse. She said she has started a petition she plans on bringing to her local lawmakers in the upcoming weeks.
Drewery told Eyewitness News DSS that investigators told her when they tried to visit Lanham at the America's Best Inn in Gaston County, she was never around.
While DSS officials have defended their actions to Eyewitness News, Drewery said they didn't do their jobs.
"When you give them the exact hotel and the exact room number like I did, and then they say they still can't find them, sit there for five extra minutes. Don't say that your time is more precious than that baby's time," she said.
Gaston County DSS officials said they are legally prohibited from going into specifics, but said that they have reviewed their involvement in Addison's case.
"Everything looks like it's been done by the books; we've got all the documentation," said Gaston County DSS board member Tom Keigher.
"And as far as this department doing its due diligence, I'm confident it'll come through that way, that we did everything we were supposed to do," Keigher added.
At Addison's visitation on Friday, dozens of people lit candles and bowed their heads in a moment of silence.
Kim Wells said she felt hopeless that more wasn't done to protect the little girl. "And we, as a community, as a society, should not feel that way when it comes to protecting a kid. We should not have to feel helpless," she said.
More Information: Local DSS Directory Recognizing and Reporting Suspected Abuse and Neglect NC Sex Offender Registry SC Sex Offender Registry
Previous Stories: July 28, 2011: Family: Concerns Reported To DSS Before Toddler's Death July 28, 2011: Mother Charged In Girl's Death Begs For Help In 911 Call July 27, 2011: Mother, Boyfriend Face Abuse Charges In Toddler's Death July 26, 2011: Police Waiting For Autopsy Results In 2-Year-Old's Death July 22, 2011: Police Investigate Death Of 2-Year-Old Girl
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