GUILTY NH - Camden Hughes, 6, suffocated, Hampton, 14 May 2011 #2

[mrsu]

Welcome, KaraKitty. The Boston TV stations were reporting yesterday afternoon that they had traced the registeration on the truck to a woman in Irving, TX. WCVB even called the ex-boyfriend and mother. On-air, the reporter asked for JM's older son's phone number--fortunately, he didn't know.

I hadn't heard the ex-BF said it was his truck. Some of the things he said, though, seem to differ with statements by others who knew JM and CH. Like, he goes to church with him. Pastor is quoted that he never saw a man with JM, CH, and her mother. He said JM only attended sporadically but Camden was there more, according to the Lowell Sun. (Lowell is the city next to Chelmsford, where she was arrested.)

http://www.thesunblog.com/policeblog/archives/2011/05/juli-mccrery-wa.html

"Juli McCrery, who raised her younger son as a single mother, attended
church less often than Camden, who would often get dropped off by his
mother and attend both the 10 a.m. Sunday school class, and the 11:15
class afterward. [Pastor] never saw a man with the family."

Does anyone else find it odd that she was extremely religious but yet, hardly ever went to church and just dropped her son off??

If she was so religious...why would she think she'd be going to heaven after what she did? Apparently she doesn't remember "Thou shalt not kill". I think she's going to end up somewhere a lot warmer, if you know what I mean.

Also...does anyone understand why this is second degree murder and not first?

 

[maggieo]

Does anyone else find it odd that she was extremely religious but yet, hardly ever went to church and just dropped her son off??

If she was so religious...why would she think she'd be going to heaven after what she did? Apparently she doesn't remember "Thou shalt not kill". I think she's going to end up somewhere a lot warmer, if you know what I mean.

Also...does anyone understand why this is second degree murder and not first?

Seems like she was using the church as free babysitting.

In some states, 1st degree murder is reserved for murder committed during another felony, or if you killed a police or a political figure.

 

[SarahEcho]

Why is she getting 2nd degree murder if it's premeditated? She planned to do it when she left Texas for Maine ....30 or so hours before doing it she knew she was going to do it, didn't she?
And who knows how long she could have been planning it before getting in the car...it could be days, weeks, months.
Did she know when she decided to leave her job?
The ride may have been longer than the estimated 30 hours....when was the last time she was seen in Texas? They could have been on the road for days.
Can someone who knows about it please explain the charges for me?

2009 New Hampshire Code
TITLE LXII — CRIMINAL CODE (Includes Chapters 625 - 651-E)
CHAPTER 630 — HOMICIDE
Section 630:1-b Second Degree Murder.
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I. A person is guilty of murder in the second degree if:
(a) He knowingly causes the death of another; or
(b) He causes such death recklessly under circumstances manifesting an extreme indifference to the value of human life. Such recklessness and indifference are presumed if the actor causes the death by the use of a deadly weapon in the commission of, or in an attempt to commit, or in immediate flight after committing or attempting to commit any class A felony.
II. Murder in the second degree shall be punishable by imprisonment for life or for such term as the court may order.
Source. 1974, 34:2, eff. April 15, 1974.
2009 New Hampshire Code
TITLE LXII — CRIMINAL CODE (Includes Chapters 625 - 651-E)
CHAPTER 630 — HOMICIDE
Section 630:1-a First Degree Murder.
Share|

I. A person is guilty of murder in the first degree if he:
(a) Purposely causes the death of another; or
(b) Knowingly causes the death of:
(1) Another before, after, while engaged in the commission of, or while attempting to commit felonious sexual assault as defined in RSA 632-A:3;
(2) Another before, after, while engaged in the commission of, or while attempting to commit robbery or burglary while armed with a deadly weapon, the death being caused by the use of such weapon;
(3) Another in perpetrating or attempting to perpetrate arson as defined in RSA 634:1, I, II, or III;
(4) The president or president-elect or vice-president or vice-president-elect of the United States, the governor or governor-elect of New Hampshire or any state or any member or member-elect of the congress of the United States, or any candidate for such office after such candidate has been nominated at his party's primary, when such killing is motivated by knowledge of the foregoing capacity of the victim.
II. For the purpose of RSA 630:1-a, I(a), ""purposely'' shall mean that the actor's conscious object is the death of another, and that his act or acts in furtherance of that object were deliberate and premeditated.
III. A person convicted of a murder in the first degree shall be sentenced to life imprisonment and shall not be eligible for parole at any time.
Source. 1974, 34:2. 1986, 132:3. 1990, 199:2, eff. Jan. 1, 1991.

They may up her charge to first degree murder at a later point but it seems as though they have her charged under two counts. One charge states that she was reckless in killing him and the other was intent to kill, perhaps to allow a jury a choice as to what they believe happened from evidence presented or to allow for a plea.

She didn't have compounding felonies and may have some circumstance of diminished capacity that would have an effect on her judgement and reasoning, resulting in lesser charges.

Hopefully, DA will explain.

 

[mrsu]

http://www.necn.com/pages/newengland

I hope this link works. This is her arraignment.

As angry as I am about what she did, and as much as I believe she gets everything that's coming to her, I found that video heartbreaking. I just don't get how people can do these things.

 

[MsFacetious]

Oh no, she gave away some of Camden's toys on Easter. Not a good sign...

She gave away the toys to a 2 year old child.

Camden had just turned 6 years old.

I would imagine they were likely toys Camden was no longer playing with.

I don't find that odd especially since the family was helping her fix her water heater. Maybe she wanted to do something nice for them as well...

We pack up toys and clothes and give them to homeless shelters, other charities or families we know that need them... every time we need to change out the clothes for the season. 2-4 times a year.

If she was giving away all of his current toys to another 6 year old child, that would not be good. But this was a 2 year old child.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap...U2YNDg?docId=0e2434603282403782813d7cefdab739

Von Atzigen said he last saw McCrery on Easter, when she came to his house to get a part to fix her hot water heater. While she was there, she dropped off some of her son Camden's toys for his 2-year-old son, he said.

 

[SarahEcho]

Does anyone else find it odd that she was extremely religious but yet, hardly ever went to church and just dropped her son off??

If she was so religious...why would she think she'd be going to heaven after what she did? Apparently she doesn't remember "Thou shalt not kill". I think she's going to end up somewhere a lot warmer, if you know what I mean.

Also...does anyone understand why this is second degree murder and not first?

She may have felt a little ill at ease, some churches are really welcoming, others have a blue hair brigade of elderly ladies that nitpicks over everyone. Some will go to a Bible study etc instead. A lot of kids go without their parents, that I do know, I taught many of them.

 

[Etilema]

Yes, they must have evidence beyond her confession that she killed her son in NH. Her lawyer, Murphy, asked her why he was found in Maine. She said that she had to go to Maine.

Someone mentioned earlier in this thread that South Berwick was were Jeffrey Curley's body was discovered. Jeffrey was the Somerville, Mass., boy who was groomed and abducted by two pedophiles, then taken to Manchester, NH, and murdered. They put his body in a large plastic trunk, filled it with concrete, and dumped him in a river in South Berwick. Seems like the heinous murder of Jeffrey Curley was just a couple of years ago. But it was 1997.

I read Robert Curley's book about his son's murder last year. I'd heard him on a discussion about the death penalty. After Jeffrey was murdered, his father was a strong advocate for the death penalty and testified at the Massachusetts State House about a bill to institute it. But years later, after the trials of the two men, he came to oppose it.

Because the Curley murder was 13 years ago and the circumstances were so different, I doubt it influenced JM's choice of South Berwick (unless she'd read the book).

Yes, that's what I was wondering--if perhaps she had heard of the crime at the time and it stuck in her mind (as you say, it seems like yesterday) or if she read the book.

 

[Barnabas]

I did that as my girls outgrew clothes and toys too. There were several of us with kids a year or two apart and we traded and passed down things a lot.

 

[GypsyPrincess]

I wish I didn't just read that

Me too. Started the tears flowing all over again. I feel sick. :frown:

 

[Walker]

Also...does anyone understand why this is second degree murder and not first?

Maybe they don't feel that they can establish premeditation with sufficient certainty. Easier to get a conviction on 2nd degree esp. in liberal states. The perp may also get a lot of public sympathy. If a father kills his child, he is a murderer; but a mother who kills her child is a "victim."

 

[tabacue]

She may have felt a little ill at ease, some churches are really welcoming, others have a blue hair brigade of elderly ladies that nitpicks over everyone. Some will go to a Bible study etc instead. A lot of kids go without their parents, that I do know, I taught many of them.

Six seems too young to drop off at church....really too young to be dropped off anywhere. My older sister and I walked to church without our parents when I was about that age, but she is 5 years older than me. I wouldn't feel comfortable dropping my kids off anywhere at that age, but I don't trust anyone...sadly, don't really think you can these days. Even sadder in this case, is that it wasn't anyone on the "outside" poor Camden needed to worry about.

 

[KaraKitty]

My sister lived in Barstow for several years. We went to San Diego when I visited her. She was trying to entice me to move. Perfect weather year round, a happy place to live. Hope you're enjoying it! There was just a breaking news report here that the sun was spotted on Nantucket.

Yes, we love SD! And having all my family in ME, CT, MA and RI, I know you all had a horrific winter and now all this rain and my son (in law school back east)(we chat about cases all the time) says they have not seen sun since the sometime last week. :banghead:

Ok I have a question, Cam's name 'Pierce Hughes'; has there been any info about Cam's dad?

 

[KaraKitty]

Six seems too young to drop off at church....really to young to be dropped off anywhere. My older sister and I walked to church without our parents when I was about that age, but she is 5 years older than me. I wouldn't feel comfortable dropping my kids off anywhere at that age, but I don't trust anyone...sadly, don't really think you can these days. Even sadder in this case, is that it wasn't anyone on the "outside" poor Camden needed to worry about.

I am going to guess that JM dropped Cam off at like a pre-K religious education class. I taught 1st grade CCD and it really is allot of fun and games and stories all related to the Bible. I doubt JM dropped him off for like actual church services. And the kids are well taken care off, usually given a snack as well.

 

[Bodhi]

Thanks, Bodhi, for the welcome! :seeya: Yes, I may have read something where 'in the past' while they were dating, Miller stated that he let JM borrow his truck as she worked for an auto parts delivery firm (I believe). Thanks for the correction. That truck JM was in was her own.






Here is an interesting article I found:


http://boston.cbslocal.com/2011/05/18/person-of-interest-questioned-in-maine-mystery-boy-case/


Wednesday evening investigators from New Hampshire State Police were at a hotel on Route One in Hampton. Motel clerks say police spent much of the day going door to door interviewing clerks.

The owner of Summer Wind, along the popular Hampton Beach strip says police asked her if she had seen a woman fitting McCrery’s description. “They said she was going around saying she only had $25 and she was looking for a motel trying to barter.”

She says the woman did not stop at her place, but several miles up Route One, police converged on the Stone Gable Inn, where some guests remember her.

“She wasn’t a very nice person. She was introverted, kept to herself. She was asking for cigarettes; asking for everything for free,” says Larry Regan, who’s staying in a room above the one police are scouring.
He says he never saw the boy, but that when he walked by the room, he heard her yelling at someone he assumed was a child. “Typical screaming of a parent that was irate.”

He and several motel clerks say they wish they had seen the boy, thinking they may have been able to help.

Thanks for that link! I hadn't heard those details before.

The fact that this woman was asking people for help and saying she only had $25 should serve as a reminder to us. You never know. The outpouring of sympathy for Camden has been evident. We all say we would have helped him if we had had the chance. But it's easy in hindsight. The hard thing is getting involved when you see someone in distress or asking for help. I don't question anyone's sincerity because I feel like I would have gladly taken him in too.

The people JM asked for help could not have known what would she would do. Probably a common occurrence at an off-season motel. Who would think she was going to murder her child? In this case, it seems the mother had a plan to drive cross-country and kill her child. So a reduced rate on a hotel room or a free sandwich wouldn't have saved Camden's life.

I will try to keep Camden in mind and when I witness a desperate person, I will try to act in his best interest. Maybe that's a way to honor his too-short life.

 

[tabacue]

I am going to guess that JM dropped Cam off at like a pre-K religious education class. I taught 1st grade CCD and it really is allot of fun and games and stories all related to the Bible. I doubt JM dropped him off for like actual church services. And the kids are well taken care off, usually given a snack as well.

I still couldn't do it. If I am attending church service then sure my child could go. ...otherwise not gonna happen. My church offers similar classes to those you mentioned and when we attend services, I certainly allow them to attend children's church. I just don't ever see myself dropping them off for the class (at 6) and leaving them there.

I'd like to know how familiar she was with the church and the people there.

I'm also beginning to wonder how much ex-boyfriend really knew. One of the articles upthread mentions contradictory statements...like he went to church with Camden and his mother, but most members say Camden went alone. Also the statement about he hopes she gets out of trouble...wonder if Camden was a thorn in their side...maybe a reason they broke up. ??

 

[maggieo]

Thanks for that link! I hadn't heard those details before.

The fact that this woman was asking people for help and saying she only had $25 should serve as a reminder to us. You never know. The outpouring of sympathy for Camden has been evident. We all say we would have helped him if we had had the chance. But it's easy in hindsight. The hard thing is getting involved when you see someone in distress or asking for help. I don't question anyone's sincerity because I feel like I would have gladly taken him in too.

The people JM asked for help could not have known what would she would do. Probably a common occurrence at an off-season motel. Who would think she was going to murder her child? In this case, it seems the mother had a plan to drive cross-country and kill her child. So a reduced rate on a hotel room or a free sandwich wouldn't have saved Camden's life.

I will try to keep Camden in mind and when I witness a desperate person, I will try to act in his best interest. Maybe that's a way to honor his too-short life.

I think that's a wonderful thing to do for Camden.

The "I'm going to drive as far as possible and then kill us both" scenario seems incomplete to me. I know -- if she's mentally ill, there's no sense to be found here. But I'm wondering if the original plan had been to stay with someone, and when that didn't work out (maybe because the person didn't expect there to be a kid tagging along) she was left with no money, no place to stay, and a huge amount of anger.

 

[insatiable]

As a poster earlier in the thread already mentioned......it's interesting he was found not that far from Camden, Maine. Makes me wonder if she may have been headed there but then changed her mind. I wonder where Camden got his name....it's not very common.

 

[Bodhi]

Does anyone else find it odd that she was extremely religious but yet, hardly ever went to church and just dropped her son off??

If she was so religious...why would she think she'd be going to heaven after what she did? Apparently she doesn't remember "Thou shalt not kill". I think she's going to end up somewhere a lot warmer, if you know what I mean.

Also...does anyone understand why this is second degree murder and not first?

I don't think JM is necessarily all that religious. Her ex-BF said so, but some of his statements don't jive with other people's.

Her mother seems to be very church-oriented. JM and Camden lived with her 2 years ago, at least, and the grandmother talked about how he had the loudest voice when the children would sing at church. She also lived with them for many months and only recently returned to Nebraska.

I am actually surprised that you can just drop off a 5-year-old at a church service. The church school, okay. All the kids events at schools here are parent-chaperoned, i.e. kids need to be accompanied by an adult. Perhaps he was under the supervision of some other adult. Otherwise, I would think it would prompt the pastor to get more involved.

I wonder if she had him attend church to please her mother. Or for the very forgiving ex-BF who hopes she gets off. Or maybe for 2 hours of her own.

I agree about "I shall not kill." Andrea Yates and her husband belonged to a church that was very structured and rigid. Her church environment didn't provide her with support. It exacerbated her mental problems. She was overwhelmed with 5 kids and homeschooling them too. She was delusional and thought she was saving them.

 

[Stephanie67]

I wonder if Camden Maine had some meaning to her. I also wonder if she was planning a murder/suicide, then why would she leave him anywhere? Wouldn't she have wanted him with her? I don't think she was planning to take her own life, because of that. Interesting about giving the toys away prior to the trip too. I mean we've all given toys away so that's not strange, but just that it happened before the trip like that makes you wonder if they were most of his toys or what. I'm guessing LE will know certain things by her actions. Just sad sad sad....Maybe her life was getting so hard that she knew she was going to go back to drugs and didn't want him to have a life where his Mom was like that even if she had given him to someone else....I think sometimes these Mom's can love children so much that they do this so they don't suffer in a strange way. That's just my guess, but I've thought about that when I hear about some of these murder/suicides. Just so sad that the older brother has this to deal with his whole life.

 

[Bodhi]

As a poster earlier in the thread already mentioned......it's interesting he was found not that far from Camden, Maine. Makes me wonder if she may have been headed there but then changed her mind. I wonder where Camden got his name....it's not very common.

It's not that uncommon here. I know several Camdens. But where in the same region. Wonder if it is popular near Camden, New Jersey.

Names with C or K like Caiden, Kaden, Camden, Kellan are a trend right now.

I wonder if JM had a favorite book or movie set in Maine. Or knew someone who had visited here.

Because Camden seems to have been well taken care of and wrapped and placed carefully in a peaceful setting, perhaps she had some image of Maine that made it seem like an ideal place.