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VanDerWege's Innocence

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On March 10th 2017, seventeen year old Devon Vanderwege was falsely arrested for the death of toddler Ethan Bigham.

Vanderwege was brought into the Erie County Sheriffs office intimidated, coerced and threatened. Being a minor, he was held for several hours where he was harshly interrogated without his parents or a lawyers presence.

District Attorney Flynn says Vanderwege was offered a plea deal because a jury would not convivt him, and somebody needed to pay.

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About Devon

Devon is the kind of young man who would give the shirt off his back if you needed it. He would give the last of his food so a family would not go hungry. He excelled in athletics such as baseball and football. His ultimate goal has always been to be a contestant on American Ninja Warrior. He could always bring a smile to anyone's face.

About him 

Devons heart is huge. His love for animals and children is visible in all of his actions, as there love for him is just as apparent. It was not uncommon to hear about Devon finding stray animals homes, taking care of injured animals etc. He has always been the neighborhood babysitter, parents have entrusted Devon to watch their children for a number of years with no worries.

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Devons arrest

the injustices

Devon is being accused of beating Ethan Friday afternoon on March 10 2017, even though Ethan’s mother is being charged for ignoring Ethan’s injuries that  Friday morning. Ethan was not alone in Vanderweges care until his injuries were already sustained.

When police arrived Friday night, after the Mother’s boyfriend returned home inebriated, Devon took his phone and called 911, after police and ambulance showed up Devon was immediately interrogated, but the drunk boyfriend was NEVER questioned, and was allowed to ride in the ambulance.

6 hours after Ethan was admitted into Women and Children hospital of Buffalo, Ny with fatal injuries his mother and boyfriend were allowed into the home to bleach and throw toys, trash bags and other things away. The house was never closed off as a crime scene, and was demolished 10 days later by the mother.

Tell me, why A mother wouldn’t be with her dying child and be bleaching the crime scene/ her home instead. 
The boyfriend says he was so drunk the days leading up to the beating and the day of the beating he doesn’t remember anything, although he can confess to numerous people and EVERYONE turn there head.

There is an 8 minute video of DA Flynn talking about this case and EVERY time he opens his mouth and answers a question he contradicts himself as well as admit there was no evidence against Vanderwege.

We were all at court for Devon and Ethan. Ethan’s family and my family holding hands praying someone would listen to us, I wish The Da would’ve seen Devon and many others always at the Schoepflins helping and playing with Ethan and his toys, giving him baths, and changing his diapers.

They were wrong when they said my family kicked Devon out. Devon had his own apartment which he shared with one of his friends but lost it, when a week prior to Ethan’s death, the “stepdad” overdosed on bath salts and showed up at Vanderweges home and made him loose his apartment by throwing things destroying the apartment and resulting in Devon being hospitalized from injuries caused by the step dad. Devon moved in with Ethan’s mother and her boyfriend. 


I wish the courts could have seen the good in devon, rather than who he is portrayed to be and see the terrible actions in the other adults present took part in I wish they would have seen him riding his bike 5 miles or so down the road bringing Ethan and his siblings food from our house or giving them their medicine which the mother neglected to do.

I wish cps would have followed through with their NUMEROUS of open abuse and neglect cases that were there before Devon moved in.
I wish CPS would listen to the CURRENT open cps cases, ranging from 3 and 1/2 inch lumps on the head, to black and blue eyes, to cigarette burns they are still being harmed each and every time they visit there mother. But the authorities turn a blind eye

I wish they would’ve even questioned the other adults and children who haven’t been. Out of the 10 people living in the 2 bedroom trailer they only talked to Devon and heather. They won’t even listen to a valid, detailed confession made from someone who hasnt been questioned ad who also wasnt even supposed to be around the children .
Not only was he interrogated without a mother or lawyer present despite his wishes at only 17 years old, the detectives present wrote on his Miranda rights, coerced, causing a false confession The police only recorded pieces of the interrogation, beginning before the arrest.

It’s sad how the courts are all about getting justice for children involved, getting justice for Ethan. How can you get justice not investigating his death, or anyone of the other people In the house.
How can they get justice ignoring confessions and sending the children back to their mother, who admits to not getting help for Ethan Friday morning, who admits to knowing Devon did not partake in her sons death. but Devon still being sentenced 
Although I see how Vanderwege may look guilty to so many of you, he was given a plea deal, which he was intimidated into taken he was promised so much, but they gave so little. He was made to think by the DA he was never going to see his family again, he was made to believe the mother was getting the children back and they couldn’t open a case on her until his closed.

There is so much more that angers me, and upsets me, I just wish the public and media would ask to see the tremendous amount of evidence proving Devon’s rights were trampled over, or ask to hear recordings from the mother admitting her guilt and her knowledge, or even listen to the facts we have to tel land the evidence we have to show.

Devon was never given a chance, he tried to get Ethan help but was told no by his mother, he was left with Ethan in his condition, with no phone or car. When he was given a phone he immediately called 911, he cooperated with police, told them everything he knew. His rights were trampled on, the house wasn’t closed off as a crime scene, he was coerced with no parent or lawyer present, all available evidence was allowed to be tampered with. Still to this day, Vanderwege is

charged despite everything.

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Get in Touch

Buffalo,Ny

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Committed to Excellence

We have been selling these bracelets for legal fees to bring Devon home, prices are:


each  bracelet is being sold for 6$

4 bracelets for 20$

Please email us at Vanderwege.d@yahoo.com for any information regarding bracelets 

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