12-07-2005, 04:06 PM
Two-year-old child abuse victim dies: Autistic Toddler suffered severe head trauma
By Casey Santee
Idaho State Journal
Wed 7th December 2005
POCATELLO - Two-year-old Cameron Hamilton passed away in his father's arms at a Utah hospital after life support was removed Monday night.
Cameron was flown to Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City from Pocatello with severe head trauma Dec. 1 after a Chubbuck day care, Achieving a Better Life, called police and said he was “unresponsive.” An associate of the care center, Michelle Bott-Graham, 39, of Pocatello, remains in Bannock County Jail accused of inflicting the fatal injuries on the child.
She's been officially charged with felony injury to a child in connection with the incident but more severe charges are expected. Her preliminary hearing is set for Monday.
A background check by the Journal revealed that Bott-Graham faced heroin and injury to a child charges two years ago that resulted in her state counseling license being revoked.
Cameron's mother, Heather Fast of Pocatello, said Bott-Graham did not have permission Dec. 1 to pick up the child from Achieving a Better Life. From there, Bott-Graham allegedly took the child to her home, where Pocatello police said the abuse occurred. She then returned the “unresponsive” child to the day care, police said.
Authorities are not saying what Bott-Graham did to allegedly injure Cameron.
Mark Heideman, Bannock County prosecutor, said he will wait for the results of an autopsy which was done in Salt Lake City Tuesday, as well as the results of the ongoing police investigation, before considering whether to file murder or manslaughter charges against Bott-Graham.
Cameron's mother, Heather Fast, said she and her ex-husband, Shane, made the decision to have their son's life support removed after doctors told them his brain swelling had doubled and he would never be able to walk or speak.
“How do you bury your baby?,” Heather Fast said. “I held him in my arms while they took the ventilator out. I handed him to his father and he died in his arms.”
Fast said she met Bott-Graham through Achieving a Better Life when she began to suspect Cameron had autism. She said employees at the care center told her Bott-Graham could help Cameron. What Fast didn't know was Bott-Graham's state counseling license was suspended indefinitely in 2003, weeks after Pocatello police arrested her for possessing heroin.
Heideman's office filed a drug charge against Bott-Graham as well as felony injury to a child because she possessed the heroin with her children present. She was given seven years of supervised probation following a plea bargain in which the injury charge was dismissed. In September, authorities released her from probation for good behavior.
If convicted of both the drug and child injury charges, Bott-Graham would have faced a maximum of 17 years in state prison.
“It's not atypical if someone pleads guilty to a drug charge under those circumstances for us to dismiss injury to a child,” Heideman said. “The father took custody of the children.”
Heideman also said it is normal for people on probation to be released from that status if they are doing well.
Achieving a Better Life is also under investigation by police because of last week's incident.
The day care, which advertises it specializes in “children with behavioral disorders,” didn't return calls Tuesday for comment about why it referred Heather Fast to someone without a counseling license. Last week a manager for the day care denied that Bott-Graham was an employee, but Pocatello police said at the very least she was an “associate.”
According to state law, Idaho child care facilities must complete background checks on all employees before they are hired. However, Chubbuck and other cities have implemented even stricter standards.
A Google online search of “Michelle Bott-Graham, Idaho,” turned up her suspension documents on the first 10 items listed. The Journal found out about her criminal record by searching documents at the courthouse.
Heather Fast said she trusted Bott-Graham because she has a master's degree and said she could determine if Cameron had autism. She said Bott-Graham worked with Cameron for about six weeks, often at her home, before Tuesday's incident.
Fast said she doesn't understand how anyone could hurt a baby the way Bott-Graham allegedly injured Cameron. She wants people to know what happened to Cameron so the same will not happen to their child.
“I just bought him his first bag of (training pants), but he never got to use them,” Fast said. “It's stupid things that get to you. I've never believed in the death penalty, but today I do.”
Bott-Graham's attorney, Mike Nielsen of Pocatello, didn't return calls for comment Tuesday.
Source: Idaho State Journal
http://www.journalnet.com/articles/2005/...news01.txt
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By Casey Santee
Idaho State Journal
Wed 7th December 2005
POCATELLO - Two-year-old Cameron Hamilton passed away in his father's arms at a Utah hospital after life support was removed Monday night.
Cameron was flown to Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City from Pocatello with severe head trauma Dec. 1 after a Chubbuck day care, Achieving a Better Life, called police and said he was “unresponsive.” An associate of the care center, Michelle Bott-Graham, 39, of Pocatello, remains in Bannock County Jail accused of inflicting the fatal injuries on the child.
She's been officially charged with felony injury to a child in connection with the incident but more severe charges are expected. Her preliminary hearing is set for Monday.
A background check by the Journal revealed that Bott-Graham faced heroin and injury to a child charges two years ago that resulted in her state counseling license being revoked.
Cameron's mother, Heather Fast of Pocatello, said Bott-Graham did not have permission Dec. 1 to pick up the child from Achieving a Better Life. From there, Bott-Graham allegedly took the child to her home, where Pocatello police said the abuse occurred. She then returned the “unresponsive” child to the day care, police said.
Authorities are not saying what Bott-Graham did to allegedly injure Cameron.
Mark Heideman, Bannock County prosecutor, said he will wait for the results of an autopsy which was done in Salt Lake City Tuesday, as well as the results of the ongoing police investigation, before considering whether to file murder or manslaughter charges against Bott-Graham.
Cameron's mother, Heather Fast, said she and her ex-husband, Shane, made the decision to have their son's life support removed after doctors told them his brain swelling had doubled and he would never be able to walk or speak.
“How do you bury your baby?,” Heather Fast said. “I held him in my arms while they took the ventilator out. I handed him to his father and he died in his arms.”
Fast said she met Bott-Graham through Achieving a Better Life when she began to suspect Cameron had autism. She said employees at the care center told her Bott-Graham could help Cameron. What Fast didn't know was Bott-Graham's state counseling license was suspended indefinitely in 2003, weeks after Pocatello police arrested her for possessing heroin.
Heideman's office filed a drug charge against Bott-Graham as well as felony injury to a child because she possessed the heroin with her children present. She was given seven years of supervised probation following a plea bargain in which the injury charge was dismissed. In September, authorities released her from probation for good behavior.
If convicted of both the drug and child injury charges, Bott-Graham would have faced a maximum of 17 years in state prison.
“It's not atypical if someone pleads guilty to a drug charge under those circumstances for us to dismiss injury to a child,” Heideman said. “The father took custody of the children.”
Heideman also said it is normal for people on probation to be released from that status if they are doing well.
Achieving a Better Life is also under investigation by police because of last week's incident.
The day care, which advertises it specializes in “children with behavioral disorders,” didn't return calls Tuesday for comment about why it referred Heather Fast to someone without a counseling license. Last week a manager for the day care denied that Bott-Graham was an employee, but Pocatello police said at the very least she was an “associate.”
According to state law, Idaho child care facilities must complete background checks on all employees before they are hired. However, Chubbuck and other cities have implemented even stricter standards.
A Google online search of “Michelle Bott-Graham, Idaho,” turned up her suspension documents on the first 10 items listed. The Journal found out about her criminal record by searching documents at the courthouse.
Heather Fast said she trusted Bott-Graham because she has a master's degree and said she could determine if Cameron had autism. She said Bott-Graham worked with Cameron for about six weeks, often at her home, before Tuesday's incident.
Fast said she doesn't understand how anyone could hurt a baby the way Bott-Graham allegedly injured Cameron. She wants people to know what happened to Cameron so the same will not happen to their child.
“I just bought him his first bag of (training pants), but he never got to use them,” Fast said. “It's stupid things that get to you. I've never believed in the death penalty, but today I do.”
Bott-Graham's attorney, Mike Nielsen of Pocatello, didn't return calls for comment Tuesday.
Source: Idaho State Journal
http://www.journalnet.com/articles/2005/...news01.txt
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