GUILTY CO - Jack Koller, 2 mos, fatally abused, Lafayette, 24 July 2009

[jnTexas]

http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=124614&catid=339#

Riggs says he would sometimes smile.

Then he started to deteriorate. His brain began to swell.

"It was just watching him go downhill pretty quickly which was hard because he had been doing so well," Riggs said.

With Jack's death, his family has a new life mission.

"Somehow we are going to make really good things happen out of all of this," Riggs said. "It would be my hope that this would never happen to another child. I have a new career now. I will advocate for babies. I will do all I can to stop shaken baby syndrome and abuse."

Mark Schmidt, Jack's grandfather, said, "If you feel stressed or pushed to the limit just walk away. Let the baby cry. You can't reinforce that enough."

In the days before he died, his Riggs whispered to him, "You know how much I love you and how much I'll miss you... buckets and buckets and buckets."

 

[jnTexas]

If mommy didn't know about the abuse then why did grandma get custody of the lil guy?

 

[DeepThinker]

If mommy didn't know about the abuse then why did grandma get custody of the lil guy?

if my memory serves correctly, mom was in jail for a totally separate offense, although I don't know what that was....

 

[Hopeful One]

If mommy didn't know about the abuse then why did grandma get custody of the lil guy?

That's exactly what I'm wondering. And thanks for the link to the video. Sad to see him in such bad shape but good to see he was obviously loved and being well-cared for.

 

[miss u daddy]

I just read this and it breaks my heart. Rest in Paradise baby Jack.

 

[LittleBear2]

http://www.timescall.com/news_story.asp?ID=18653

 

[mysterygirl]

Poor little thing, this just makes my heart hurt. I hope he felt love as he died in his grandmothers arms.....

 

[mysterygirl]

What a beautiful, beautiful baby. I hope I am not the only one who sobs when seeing pics or watching videos. I can't help it....

 

[Texas Mist]

Lafayette's Benjamin Koller pleads not guilty in infant son's death
September trial date set, plea deal still possible
By John Aguilar, Camera Staff Writer
Posted: 04/07/2010 08:54:01 AM MDT

A Lafayette man accused of killing his infant son last year pleaded not guilty Wednesday morning to charges of first-degree murder and child abuse.

Boulder District Judge Maria Berkenkotter set a trial date of Sept. 17 for 26-year-old Benjamin Koller, but it’s still possible the defendant will agree to a plea deal with prosecutors.


more here

http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-county-news/ci_14833231

 

[kbl8201]

awww. i hadnt seen this before so i started from the first post.......was so happy he when it looked like he made it...........

im glad they charged first degree and not some ridiculous manslaughter charge....

 

[Kimberlyd125]

IMO any kind of plea will be a gross injustice.

 

[OkieGranny]

From July 2010:

http://www.dailycamera.com/ci_15568448

Koller, who originally faced a first-degree murder charge, pleaded guilty in May to a lesser charge of child abuse resulting in death...

Berkenkotter sentenced Koller to 40 years followed by five years of parole based on aggravating factors, such as the repeated abuse and the fact that Koller delayed Jack's ability to get help by keeping the truth to himself.