Sha'hiim M. Nelligan SchenectadySha'hiim Nelligan, 8, entered into the arms of the Lord and eter- nal life, Satur- day, February 23, 2013. Born in Sche- nectady, Sha- 'hiim was a stu- dent at Albany Community Charter School and along with his family, a member of Sche- nectady Pilgrim Holiness Church in Schenectady. He loved to dance and was looking forward to joining the after school Step Team with his young aunts. Sha'hiim liked to play basketball, loved to sing, joke around and never missed a chance to show off. He is survived by his parents, Keila Nelligan and Shurone Wideman; his grandmother and legal guardian since the age of 2, Gloria Nelligan; his aunts and uncle who were more like his brother and sis- ters, Leahcima Phillips, Monae Parson, Amelia Matrazzo and DC Dunkel. Sha'hiim is also survived by two brothers, Vic- torious and King. Funeral services will be held 12 p.m. Saturday, March 2, 2013 at Schenectady Pilgrim Holi- ness Church, 2105 Curry Rd., Schenectady. There will be a visitation hour before the serv- ice at the church from 11 to 12. Interment will be in Park View Cemetery, Schenectady. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Schenec- tady Pilgrim Holiness Church, in c/o DC Dunkel, 2105 Curry Rd., Schenectady, NY 12303 To leave the family an online condolence please visit http://www.sbfuneralhome.com
I posted before how I am being treated for anxiety depression and PTSD, the later due to an abusive stepfather and other incidents when I was young, the anxiety since high school probably farther back. And I have MS.
Anyways most of you know I have three grown children, all wonderful and kind and proud of them and I have two grandsons.
And those who really know me know that I would do anything to protect my kids, my grandkids and my family.
I like many parents had to make tough choices for my kids when their were issues, one very tough choice that at the time broke my heart but saved my child.
Fought with the school system for the right services.
Even though my kids are grown I am here for them.
Never knew my heart could hold so much love.
And then the grandkids come and your heart doubles in size.
When these horrible acts of violence happen and we hear about them on the news, as in this case with this "grandmother" who says she has physical and mental issues, that is NO excuse or defense for what she did. Again only someone filled with hate and evil could kill an innocent child.
Thank you Rp for your courage and insight into this matter.
While watching the local news, a non-profit leader who knew this grandmother and the family for over 10 years kept stating "she was under alot of pressure".....REALLY....we're ALL under alot of pressure!!!
The excuses time and time again are beyond pathetic. We're a society caving in each time we hear some excuse or sob story...it's time to stop feeling sorry for the criminals and start honoring the deaths of the innocent. The courts and laws need to begin to protect children better than they treat animal abusers....it's very, very sad.
are any of you qualified to make statements about mental illness????.......don;t think so.....unless you know and have been educated regarding this....don;t be so judgmental....
that;s what;s wrong with this society......this condition needs to be addressed more broadly and seriously for treatment.....and steps taken to help these souls.....
many people adults and children are being murdered, abused because of this condition,,,,,pop a pill and everything will be ok....in depressed neighborhoods as well as affluent this disease effects
us ,,,,,
instead of taking care of foreign countries ....we should be spending monies on our own......
what a wonderful and supportive community of caregivers we have in that urban culture
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
Not sure if the obit should have phrased it that way. Maybe saying "he was the grandson of....."
Brothers named "Victorious" and "King" Somehow you wonder if some words should be disallowed as first names.
And why aren't the memorial contributions to the church mailed to a bank instead of the kid's relative?
Optimists close their eyes and pretend problems are non existent. Better to have open eyes, see the truths, acknowledge the negatives, and speak up for the people rather than the politicos and their rich cronies.
are any of you qualified to make statements about mental illness????.......don;t think so.....unless you know and have been educated regarding this....don;t be so judgmental....
that;s what;s wrong with this society......this condition needs to be addressed more broadly and seriously for treatment.....and steps taken to help these souls.....
many people adults and children are being murdered, abused because of this condition,,,,,pop a pill and everything will be ok....in depressed neighborhoods as well as affluent this disease effects
us ,,,,,
instead of taking care of foreign countries ....we should be spending monies on our own......
Oh we are spending money here. That's why the Lincoln Elementary school in Schenectady is becoming it's own 'medical' facility. The kids are getting their pills early.
Unfortunately, the kids are the victims...time and time again. They are the ones dying by the hands of the 'responsible' adult.
There was no mention of this grandmother having a mental condition, just that she was 'under a lot of stress'. No, I have no idea what this grandmother was dealing with, but a child did not deserve to die by her hand.
are any of you qualified to make statements about mental illness????.......don;t think so.....unless you know and have been educated regarding this....don;t be so judgmental....
that;s what;s wrong with this society......this condition needs to be addressed more broadly and seriously for treatment.....and steps taken to help these souls.....
many people adults and children are being murdered, abused because of this condition,,,,,pop a pill and everything will be ok....in depressed neighborhoods as well as affluent this disease effects
us ,,,,,
instead of taking care of foreign countries ....we should be spending monies on our own......
that's just it....WHO/WHAT are experts....be careful what/who get the sword to swing.....it could be your head next time. and it could be 'pre-emptively'....is that what we have become?
sad sad sad
I'm sorry for this 8year old and I'm sorry for his mom and his dad and his grandmother and his grandfather.....
THE GOVERNMENT DOESN'T NEED AN F'EN INVITE......
humans are human....regulation IS punitive....get it?....as will our national healthcare answer the call of:
"THEY NEED TO DO SOMETHING."
as will the legislators...without soul---of course....
weeping and gnashing of teeth
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
read between the lines.......as it was mentioned the Gramma had a mental condition....and so goes the DSS letting someone fall between the cracks....
Ellis Clinic handles a huge caseload....it would take someone with a mental condition to do this to a child......as in othr horrific murders ...
Insanity plea???.....most likely.....
God bless the children...
my point being...sh!t happens and it sucks...where would you like to draw the line at 'expertise'...the foster family with the fondling father? the mental health grandmother? the parents who weren't there?
WHO or WHAT would you have make that line of delineation? someone you elected on some obscure government or pseudo government board?
it SUCKS...BUT DSS IS FAR FROM THE ANSWER....we are what we are...and the only way to move along is neighbor to neighbor...but since 9/11 and homeland security,,,who the F want's to get involved....????
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
I'm all about helping the neighbor...but to be dragged around like a 'reasonable reporting American' is offensive....no really really offensive...the lady had issues and that's the bottom line...there were TONS of support around her....and still it went bad...
same with the gun grabbers....an assault weapon was grandma's hands this time....NOT A GUN.....
WE ARE WHAT WE ARE...AND THAT IS-----------------HUMAN
IT MAY BE A LAND OF LAWS BUT WE ARE HUMAN BEINGS
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Someone mentioned on another board they were at child guidance just two days before this happened seems like they "were" getting "help"
Has anyone wondered what medications this "granny" might be on that could cause various side effects and maybe its not the mental issues but the medications itself that can cause paranoia, suicidial tendencies etc etc.........
Someone mentioned on another board they were at child guidance just two days before this happened seems like they "were" getting "help"
Has anyone wondered what medications this "granny" might be on that could cause various side effects and maybe its not the mental issues but the medications itself that can cause paranoia, suicidial tendencies etc etc.........
"SCHENECTADY — Gloria Nelligan's attempts at disciplining her 8-year-old grandson for stealing candy from a neighborhood store turned horribly wrong when she apparently beat the boy so severely last week that he died of his injuries, according to authorities and court documents.
Though the investigation into the death of Sha'Hiim Nelligan is ongoing, a felony complaint alleges the 43-year-old grandmother repeatedly beat the youngster over a prolonged period, creating a grave risk of serious physical injury and death.
Nelligan, who is Sha'Hiim's legal guardian, is accused of beating the boy on Friday and Saturday as punishment for stealing gum from a store, authorities said.
Family members discovered the unresponsive boy at 10:07 a.m. at the Nelligan home at 23 Mynderse Ave. in the city's Vale neighborhood and called 911.
Schenectady Fire Department paramedics treated Sha'hiim at the scene before transporting him to Ellis Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
An autopsy determined that the boy's death was a homicide.
On Monday, Gloria Nelligan appeared with her public defender, Heather Gray, during a brief arraignment before City Court Judge Guido Loyola.
The defendant told Loyola she receives financial assistance for unspecified physical and mental disabilities and is on medication.
She paused and appeared to become emotional when Loyola asked her about the medications she takes.
Nelligan ultimately did not answer the question and was sent to the county jail without bail pending her next scheduled court appearance Friday.
Neighbors and family friends who knew Sha'hiim said he was a generous, caring child who loved music and dancing.
Sha'hiim lived with his grandmother and three of her children, but not with his mother, said Judy Atchinson, founder of Quest, a program for troubled kids in the city. Atchinson said the boy had been coming to Quest for years and that she knew him well. She said he took ballet lessons, liked to play with her dog and was one of the more well-behaved kids in her program.
In 2010, Nelligan was among a group of parents who joined the New Covenant Charter School Education Faculty Association in initiating a lawsuit to prevent the Arbor Hill school from closing. It closed at the end of the 2009-10 academic year.
Today is his funeral. Think it's fitting that we should all say a prayer for him.
To You, O Lord, we humbly entrust this child, so precious in Your sight. Take him into Your arms and welcome him into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping nor pain, but the fullness of peace and joy with Your Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.
BY STEVEN COOK Gazette Reporter Family and friends of both 8-year-old Sha’hiim Nelligan and the grandmother who allegedly killed him, Gloria Nelligan, gathered and hugged outside Schenectady City Court on Friday morning. They had just attended the latest court appearance for Gloria Nelligan, accused of beating Sha’hiim to death over a pack of stolen gum. The court appearance — for a preliminary hearing that was eventually postponed — came the day before Sha’hiim is to be laid to rest. Services for Sha’hiim are scheduled for noon today at Schenectady Pilgrim Holiness Church, 2105 Curry Road in Rotterdam. Visitation will be at 11. Outside court Friday morning, several of those family and friends also spoke briefly with Nelligan’s attorney, Schenectady County Public Defender Mark Caruso. He left without commenting to The Daily Gazette. One woman, identifying herself as Patricia Ann Dohl, Gloria Nelligan’s sister, mentioned what the entire family is going through. But she also said she is standing by her sister. For Friday morning’s appearance before City Court Judge Matthew Sypniewski, Nelligan wore an orange jail outfit and used a cane to walk. Caruso agreed to postpone the preliminary hearing, however, in exchange for some pre-indictment information from prosecutors. The next court appearance is set for March 28. Caruso also reserved the right to make a bail application in the future. When Nelligan appeared in court Monday, the judge ordered her held without bail. Nelligan has been incarcerated since being formally charged Sunday. She remains under close watch at the jail, with an offi cer assigned to keep a constant eye on her to ensure she doesn’t harm herself, Sheriff Dominic Dagostino said. She is evaluated daily by jail medical staff, who then decide whether to continue the monitoring. Nelligan, 43, of 23 Mynderse St., faces one count of fi rst-degree manslaughter, a felony that could send her to prison for as much as 25 years if convicted. She is accused of beating her grandson to death “over a prolonged period” the evening of Feb. 22 into the morning of Feb. 23. Nelligan was Sha’hiim’s legal guardian. Court papers indicate the charge is based on statements from Nelligan, as well as the statements of witnesses and results of the police investigation. Police believe Nelligan learned earlier in the week that Sha’hiim stole a pack of gum from a nearby store, a source has said. She then took him to the store to apologize, but she didn’t let it go at that, and her anger culminated with the beating that proved fatal, the source said. Family and friends of Nelligan, though, have said that is not the woman they know. That woman was involved in her children’s education and the education of Sha’hiim, took them to church regularly and helped others. BRIGHT STUDENT Sha’hiim has been recalled as a bright student with a strong vocabulary and much potential. He also loved to sing and dance, as well as play basketball and show off. He was a student at Albany Community Charter School. Nelligan initially filed for custody of Sha’hiim in May 2005, when he was just more than a year old. She suggested she could provide for the best interests of her grandchild, and that his mother, Keila Nelligan, was making “irrational decisions” relating to him, according to the fi ling, which was released to The Daily Gazette on Friday. It was in September 2005, with the consent of Sha’hiim’s mother and law guardian, that Nelligan was awarded sole custody of Sha’hiim, according to the paperwork. The judge also ordered Keila Nelligan to have parenting time, as the parties had agreed to. Among the friends who attended Friday’s court appearance was Gaston Hooks, who lives across Mynderse Street from Gloria Nelligan’s home. Hooks is among those who said they know the other Nelligan — the good mother and grandmother. He said she would yell and scream, but never touch the kids. Nelligan lived in the home with her grandson and three of her own children, ages 10 to 17, friends have said. “One minute, life is beautiful; another minute, it’s a tragedy,” Hooks said. “I don’t know, I wasn’t there. But that is not Gloria. That is not Gloria.” After Friday’s court appearance, Nelligan was returned to the Schenectady County jail. Outside the jail, over the noon hour Friday, a half-dozen members of a Glens Falls group calling itself Hands Across New York held signs and passed out fl iers remembering Sha’hiim and demanding a halt to violence against children. According to the state Division of Criminal Justice Services, 36 children up to age 17 were killed statewide in 2011 by either a parent, a parent’s romantic partner or another family member. Of those, 15 were from New York City, the other 21 from elsewhere in the state. Laurie Russell, 52, of Glens Falls, founded the group last summer and was at the jail Friday holding signs with the others. Russell, a mother and grandmother herself, said she felt compelled to use her voice against child abuse, referencing other, similarly tragic cases. Russell beamed when describing her own family, two grown children and a “brand new baby grandson.” That a grandmother could be accused of doing this to her 8-year-old grandson, Russell said, “it breaks my heart. I can’t even imagine it.” “From my point of view, I don’t see anything a child could do that ever warrants this. I just don’t see it,” Russell said. “Just walk away. Go to a stranger on the street … anything.”
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