D-Angelo Pavlovic Pitchford
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CANDID ID: MN_22_119
AGE
3   years
STATE
Minnesota
DATE OF DEATH
2/14/2022
STATE REPORTS
SUMMARY OF DEATH
Three-year-old D-Angelo Pavlovic Pitchford had been feeling unwell all day on February 13, 2022, with stomach aches and vomiting. His father, Darius Pitchford, took him to the Olmsted Medical Center emergency room around 11 p.m. that evening. Medical staff observed D-Angelo was pale, lethargic, and dehydrated, and blood tests indicated possible kidney failure. Despite repeated warnings from hospital staff that D-Angelo needed further testing and that the child could die, the father insisted he was being lied to, refused further medical intervention, and signed discharge paperwork acknowledging he was leaving against medical advice around 2:07 a.m. on February 14. After arriving home, D-Angelo asked for water, continued vomiting, and showed signs of distress. His parents gave him nausea medicine, which he also vomited. D-Angelo was found dead by his mother around 6:30 a.m. on the bedroom floor, curled in the fetal position. An autopsy determined the cause of death was complications of a paraduodenal hernia, a rare condition that would have been visible on an X-ray and required immediate surgery — an X-ray that was never performed because the father removed the child from the hospital. The father was charged with felony child neglect and later with second-degree manslaughter.
Contexts/Conditions

Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?

Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?

Is there any mention of a firearm incident?

Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?

Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)

Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?

Multiple sources explicitly reference dehydration. The Star Tribune (Document 3) states: "Medical records indicated that D-Angelo looked pale, lethargic and dehydrated." The Post Bulletin (Document 5) states: "Medical staff told Pitchford that D-Angelo was at risk of kidney failure and dehydration." Document 4 similarly reports "medical staff told Pitchford that D-Angelo was at risk of kidney failure and dehydration."

Is there any mention of medical neglect?

The entire case centers on medical neglect. The fatality report (Document 1) classifies "Abuse Type: Neglect" and describes the father taking D-Angelo home against medical advice after staff warned "Your child may die." The Star Tribune article (Document 3) reports the father was charged with "child neglect resulting in substantial harm" and states "Pitchford refused further medical intervention for D-Angelo and said he was taking his son home." The Post Bulletin (Document 5) states: "Pitchford continuously obstructed medical personnel from treating the child and denied any further testing following an initial examination and blood work."

Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?

Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?

Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?

Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?

Is there any mention of sexual abuse?

Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?

Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?

Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?

Individuals Involved

Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?

Was a biological father involved in the death?

The fatality report (Document 1) identifies the "Adult Perpetrator: Father." All documents identify Darius Dwayne Pitchford as D-Angelo's father. The child's full name is "D-Angelo Pavlovic Pitchford," with the middle name matching the mother's surname (Andreja Pavlovic) and the last name matching the father's, which is consistent with biological parentage. While no document uses the specific term "biological father," no document suggests he is a stepfather or non-biological parent.

Was a biological mother involved in the death?

Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?

Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?

Was a foster parent involved in the death?

Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?

Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)

Was a sibling involved in the death?

Child Characteristics

Was the child adopted?

Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?

Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?

Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?

Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)

Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)

Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?

Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?

Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?

Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?

Parent/Caregiver Factors

Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?

Multiple sources confirm Darius Dwayne Pitchford was charged. The Star Tribune (Document 3) states: "Darius D. Pitchford was charged Monday in Olmsted County District Court with child neglect resulting in substantial harm." The Post Bulletin (Document 4) states: "A Rochester man accused of withholding medical treatment from his 3-year-old son now faces a new felony second-degree manslaughter charge." The fatality report (Document 1) states: "The father is currently charged and awaiting trial for manslaughter."

Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?

Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?

Notable Details

Several notable systemic issues are described. The fatality report (Document 1) explicitly criticizes the county's child protection investigation: "Olmsted County opened an investigation following D-Angelo's death and determined that there was no maltreatment on the part of the father, even though his actions appear to clearly meet the statutory criteria for neglect." Document 5 states that "Medical personnel were not able to override Pitchford's decision to leave because they could not say with medical certainty what was wrong with D-Angelo," highlighting a gap in hospital authority to intervene on behalf of a child. Additionally, Document 4 reports that D-Angelo's mother, Andreja Pavlovic, filed a lawsuit against Olmsted Medical Center and the treating physician, Dr. Luke Hunter, claiming "medical personnel failed to intervene and help save her son's life," and that a motion to dismiss from OMC was denied.

Lives Cut Short