PUBLISHER'S NOTE: A case which promises to be of great interest to the readers of this Blog: "From the beginning, Richardson has insisted the baby was stillborn. But even as a coroner has been unable to determine a cause of death, prosecutors insist the cause was homicide, and that Richardson, now 20, buried the evidence so she could continue on with a picture-perfect teenage lifestyle. The case exploded, becoming a tabloid-fare narrative about an all-American cheerleader accused of secretly killing her own child because she and her family were “pretty obsessed” with external appearances, as Warren County Prosecutor David P. Fornshell said in 2017. He claimed Richardson burned the baby’s corpse too — sinister details that later turned out to be incorrect, Richardson’s attorney said, but that nevertheless only fueled nonstop coverage. Photographers camped outside the family’s home in small-town Carlisle, waiting to share the latest snippets of the family’s lives. Antiabortion activists picketed Richardson’s hearings, demanding justice for Baby Jane Doe. But Richardson didn’t kill the baby, her attorney, Charles M. Rittgers, insisted to prospective jurors Tuesday during jury selection. Instead, he said, “This case was about a massive rush to judgment.""
Harold Levy: Publisher: The Charles Smith Blog:
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STORY: 'I never meant to hurt her,' Skylar Richardson tells police in video aired in baby death trial," by reporter Keith BieryGolick, published by The Cincinnati Inquirer on Sept. 5, 2019.
GIST: "She apologizes. She cries. She asks if she’s going to jail. She
says she wants to go home. She worries what her parents will say and
asks a police officer if she thinks they will believe she killed her
child. The public heard from Brooke “Skylar” Richardson for the first time Thursday, when prosecutors played a two-hour police interview for jurors in her murder trial. Richardson is charged with aggravated murder and involuntary manslaughter. She is accused of deliberately killing her newborn baby and burying her in the backyard. If convicted, she could spend the rest of her life in prison. In
the interview, conducted in 2017 about two months after the baby’s
death, Richardson was scared. At times, she spoke so fast it was hard to
understand her. At one point, a detective asked her to speak louder. “I never meant to hurt her,” she said through tears. “I didn’t kill her,” she said. “It wasn’t alive,” she said. After police questioned her, Richardson’s parents entered the room. The camera kept recording. “Mommy,” Richardson said in a high-pitched voice. The
18-year-old, who sounded even younger, hugged her mom and told her
parents she didn’t kill her child. Her parents never knew she was
pregnant. They told her to be honest with them, and she mostly repeated
what she told police. “I’m sorry,” Richardson said. Her
mom told her she was going to jail and she would be on the news.
Authorities were searching their backyard and neighbors had already been
calling. “Can I please hold your hand, mommy?” Richardson said toward the end of the video recording. She reached across the table, and her mother took her hand. It wouldn't last long. She asked if they loved her. They said they did, but her father answered with qualifiers about her lies. Richardson was not arrested that day, but the family was not permitted to return home until authorities finished their search. There
is video of a second police interview that will likely be played later
in the trial. In that video, prosecutors say Richardson admitted to
killing her baby and described how she did it. But her attorneys say she
was scared and confused. Defense Attorney Charlie Rittgers said earlier this week police put words in her mouth. After
the interview was finished, the judge sent jurors home for the day. The
lieutenant who interviewed Richardson will continue testifying on
Friday morning, when Richardson’s attorneys will get a chance to ask him
questions. The trial is scheduled to last two weeks."
The entire story can be read at:
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2019/09/05/skylar-richardson-trial-hear-former-cheerleader-charged-childs-death-first-time/2220207001/PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at: http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith. Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at: http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com. Harold Levy: Publisher: The Charles Smith Blog;