Camryn Jakeb Wilson
January 1, 2008 - March 25, 2008

No one could have predicted that just 12 short weeks later, Camryn would be in the spotlight again, only this time, he would die.

Camryn was called the "New Years Boy" by the people in the town where he was born. For 15 hours, Camryn tried to come into this world. When he finally made his entrance, he was a beautiful baby. Just weeks later, he was fighting for his life after his father, Craig, had shaken him in frustration.

Police were called about 12:21am and told that a baby was being treated with severe head and body injuries. The two month old baby was brought to the hospital by his mother, Crystal Wilson who said she had returned home on March 12, after attending an AA meeting, found Camryn in his baby swing and he didn't look right. Camryn was gasping for air and he would not wake up. Crystal called Akron Children's Hospital and spoke to the on call doctor who told her to bring him in. She picked up Camryn and rushed him to the hospital.

Camryn was found to be in critical condition with bleeding inside of his head and in his eyes. His retinas were detached and he had some broken ribs. Craig was called and told to get to the hospital where he was questioned by police, he admitted that had shaken Camryn and squeezed him because he was frustrated and angry with his wife who he had been in a bad fight with shortly before she and her daughter, from a previous relationship, left for her meeting.

Dr Nicolas Krawiecki, a pediatric neurologist and member of the Emoy University School Of Medicine faculty, in Georgia, said that typically, when rib fractures are seen in a ten week old infant, it's due to abuse. The bleeding inside of Camryn's head was catastrophic and was described as two telephone poles with the lines between them having been cut. Camryn was blind and was not able to feel if someone was touching him, he could not breathe on his own and doctors said if were to live, he would never be aware of his surroundings and he would not be capable of thinking.

Craig was arrested and charged with felonious assault and child endangerment, each of these was a second degree felony. Craig was taken to jail and was released on ten percent of a $25,000. bond.

Nearly two weeks would go by and when it became clear that there was to be no miracle for Camryn, Crystal made the tough decision that it was time to let him go. The support which had been his lifeline, would be removed. Friends and family gathered to hold Camryn one last time and to say goodbye to him. The two sides of the family came together for the last moments of the "New Years Boy's" life. They all took turns holding him as he gradually went to sleep for the last time: 

The only person missing was Craig, he remained in jail. Camryn's nine year old sister, Tabatha, asked a nurse who had come to help bathe him one last time, why he needed a bath:

Tabatha picked up a sponge and began to help give her baby brother his last bath. 

The unity felt while Camryn was slowly dying would not last. Crystal made plans to divorce Craig, who she had been married to for only 11 months. She eventually came to be at odds with her in-laws. She made comments on her My Space page:

Craig, who was 28 at the time, was scheduled for a pretrial hearing on murder and other charges on August 20. Though Police had said that he admitted to shaking and squeezing Camryn, he plead guilty to all the charges and would face trial in September:

The death of the innocent baby boy, destroyed a family, said Jonathan T. Sinn:

Craig Wilson and Crystal Twiddy had met in a softball league that was popular with Alcoholic Anonymous members. They knew each other for about four years before engagement pictures showed them as the happy couple. they were married in September of 2007. Craig soon became a father figure to Crystal's daughter, Tabatha. The couple also took care of a one year old daughter of Craig's, from a previous relationship, her name was Corrine. People said that the only source of trouble between the couple was the relationship between Craig and Corrine's mother.

On March 12, 2008, that trouble would lead to an argument where they threw their wedding rings at each other and Crystal ended up leaving the house for her AA meeting, taking Tabatha with her and leaving Camryn with Craig:

Jonathan said that the autopsy on Camryn showed that someone had injured him on a previous date. The autopsy report showed that he had multiple rib fractures and several of those were in various stages of healing:

Considering that Camryn had been to the Children's Hospital several times during his short life, even on the same day that he was injured fatally, it seems odd that no nurses or doctors noticed that he had broken ribs or was in any amount of pain at all. His checkup that day had been a well baby check.

The police said that there were no other suspects in the case. It is common practice for Summit County Children's Services to remove children from a home that is considered to be dangerous and at that point, Crystal's daughter, Tabatha was still with her. Jonathan Sinn tried to say that even though Craig had admitted what he did, he did it only after detectives questioned him and seemed to be pointing out that someone else could have done it:

Jonathan said that Craig did not intend to kill Camryn that day and that a charge of murder would not be appropriate. He said that Craig would accept a deal and plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter. The
prosecutors said there was not going to be a deal offered:

John Saros, Executive Director Of Summit County Children Services, said that crime's committed within families tend to leave a family in long lasting hardship, especially if a family member goes to prison: John Saros, executive director of Summit County Children Services, 

Crystal says that she can verify that, she can no longer afford to live in the little house she once lived in:

Laura Twiddy is upset with Craig though she is trying to keep things in perspective. On her My Space page she wrote:

Craig was taken to the funeral home for a brief and private viewing of his sons body, the night before his funeral.

Camryn was laid to rest beneath a gravestone that has a picture of him on it. He's in the back, where there are trees and birds spend a lot of time singing. The plot was donated by his great grandmother, Janet Wilson, on his fathers side of the family. The plot is a peaceful place for Camryn to rest eternally.

On March 13, 2009, almost a year after Camryn was taken off of life support and died, Craig Wilson eventually plead guilty and was given a sentence of 15 years to life, by Judge Lynne Callahan, for shaking his baby son and causing him to die. Jonathan Sinn said that Craig was not likely to be paroled before 20 years go by.

Crystal Wilson was there and she fought tears as the verdict was read. Craig didn't look at her at all during the hearing.

The National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome says that around 1,400 babies are killed every year, due to being shaken. The rate of conviction is about 70 to 79 percent, and is mostly men. The average age of the convicted is 24 and 82 percent of them are either the parent of the victim or a live-in boyfriend of the mother.

On Jan 1, 2009 Camryn Jakeb Wilson would have turned one year old. He would have had cake and presents and family surrounding him with love and showering him with affection. 

Instead, many of those who loved him, went to his grave site and released balloons with messages made especially for Camryn.

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Call this number to report child abuse ANY WHERE in the United States!
1-800-4-A-Child  1-800-422-4453

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