::: The Marcus Heddings Family Foundation ::

Professional skateboarder Neil Heddings and his girlfriend Christine Rams have been wrongfully charged in the November 23, 2003 death of Neil's son Marcus Andrew Heddings.

Neil had obtained custody of Marcus in August 23, 2002 after a long court struggle. Neil had been sharing custody with Marcus’ mother in San Diego.

Neil had recently received funding for his company Rollmodel Skateboards and was seeing a high interest in both his business and family matters. With the support of his girlfriend Christine “Pinky” Rams and her two children Joey and Taylor, the future was far from the satirical Rollmodel tagline “no future’.

Neil and Christine toured most of California and Oregon for Rollmodel Skateboards and were blessed with a child Buddy Jameson Heddings August 28, 2002.

During the following months they moved to San Jacinto, California to start a peaceful life with their children Marcus, Joey, Buddy and Taylor. Taylor had been living with her grandmother in Lancaster until the end of the school year and then planned to move in with Neil and Christine and her brothers.

Neil and Christine were putting together Distributors for Rollmodel and spent October travlelling and attending trade shows.

Marcus was in the care of his mothers friends in San Diego the week prior to his death. Neil and Christine returned from their sales tour and were called by Marcus’ mother told she wanted to keep him a few days longer. The very next day she left Marcus at the home a friend of Neil’s. Marcus had been ill and everyone thought he had the flu. Neil was called and told that Marty was sick. Neil picked up Marcus that Monday

Marty threw up a few times but seemed to get better. Wednesday they took Joey to his grandfathers for a few days. Marcus seemed better but threw up again Friday. That night Chrisitine gave him a bath and he slipped in the tub and hit his head, giving no reaction other than ouch and giggling.

Neil and Christine put Marty to bed and checked on him at 10:30 p.m. and he was asleep. The next morning Neil went into wake up Marty as they were going to pick up Joey. Marcus had passed away in the night. Neil immediately called 911. Child Protective Services came in and took one look at Neil and Christine and deemed them unfit. They were typecast from the get go. They took their new baby from them and put him in foster care at that time. They not only lost Marcus who died they took away Buddy who was only 2 1/2 months old at the time.

Neil and Christine were arrested 4 months later for the murder of Marcus Heddings on March 4, 2003 for a crime that they did not do. Six month’s went by as we put together funding to retain proper representation Jeff Zimmel (State appointed) and Jim Bender and the investigators necessary to fight this atrocity.

Presently a readiness for trial hearing is scheduled for January 17, 2004 at which time either a continuance will be set or a date for trial and jury selection.