Mother who killed baby spared jail sentence

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Michelle Camire (FREE PRESS ARCHIVES)

SHE killed one of her triplet sons in a moment of frustration, slamming his tiny body into a bassinet and causing injuries comparable to the impact from a car crash.

Now a Manitoba judge says she doesn't have to go to jail for her crime -- and is recommending three other young children be returned to her care.

Michelle Camire, 27, was found guilty of manslaughter earlier this year following a jury trial. She walked out of court Wednesday with an 18-month conditional sentence and hope that a family reunion might be just around the corner.

Queen's Bench Justice Deborah McCawley described Camire as an otherwise loving, caring mother who "momentarily lost it" during the October 2004 tragedy. She rejected the Crown's request for a 30-month prison term, saying that would only undo all the positive steps Camire has taken since her arrest.

Prosecutor Brian Bell had urged the judge to make a "strong and firm response" to the fact Camire violated her position of trust by killing a vulnerable child.

McCawley said Camire will "never cross that line again" and is clearly remorseful for her actions. She noted Camire keeps an urn containing her dead son's ashes, along with numerous pictures of him, in her home to serve as a constant reminder of what she did. Camire has no prior criminal record, and she does have steady employment and a long-term, stable relationship.

Defence lawyer Rod Brecht said his client wants to resume parenting. McCawley threw her support behind that plan, saying, "Family reunification should be proceeded with as expeditiously as possible."

The case against Camire has sparked vigorous local debate and saw two prior trials in 2007 and 2008 end with jurors unable to reach a unanimous verdict.

Three-month-old Michael Helgason suffered a fractured skull and severe brain injury after being thrown into his bed by Camire. She has always claimed the death was a tragic accident, not a criminal act. Her lawyer argued at trial she acted like any other frustrated, sleep-deprived parent when she threw Michael down.

"Unless you've been in a similar circumstance... it may be difficult to appreciate what she was feeling," Brecht said during closing arguments. "Throwing Michael into a padded bassinet was never meant to be an assault on him. Many loving and caring parents may throw their children into a crib."

Crown attorney Brian Bell told jurors there was no doubt Camire was guilty. He said the best evidence came directly from the accused in her frantic 911 call after finding her son wasn't breathing.

"My three-month-old baby, I've killed him. I was tired and frustrated earlier, and I slammed him down when I put him down... Oh my God, what has mommy done. I'm going to go to jail, aren't I?" she said.

The operator began instructing Camire on how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Camire wept, repeatedly asking how could she do such a thing to her baby.

"He's gone, he's gone, I know he's gone," she said. When a Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service operator came on the line and asked the woman what happened, Camire responded: "My baby was crying earlier today. I got mad and I got frustrated. I slammed him down when I put him down and now he's dead." Camire also told police she knew what she did "was wrong" but couldn't stop herself in time.

Camire was receiving Child and Family Services respite help in her home for up to 57 hours a week. Staff was not present at the time of the incident. Camire was also raising a 17-month-old girl.

CFS first became involved with Camire and her family in June 2004 after a social worker at the St. Boniface General Hospital notified them about the impending birth of triplets. CFS worked with the Family Centre of Winnipeg to schedule in-home visits that would occur six days of the week.

Camire's sentence conditions include a nightly curfew of 8 p.m. to 7 a.m., abstaining from alcohol and attending all recommended programming and treatment. She has already taken parenting courses and anger management, court was told.

www.mikeoncrime.com

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 23, 2009 A3