OH - Annabelle Richardson, newborn, found in shallow grave, Carlisle, 7 May 2017 #1

[Jewels53]

At times tearful, apologetic and visibly scared, Brooke "Skylar" Richardson was shown for the first time Thursday talking about the death of her newborn baby.

The young Carlisle, Ohio, woman is on trial, accused of murdering that child two summers ago.

She has insisted the baby was stillborn.

She watched Thursday on a video screen two distinct portions of her visit to the Carlisle Police Department. She was there having hidden a pregnancy, birth and burial until her secret summer turned into a criminal investigation.

One portion involved an interview by police, and the other was the shell-shocked meeting with her parents in a police room two years ago right after they were told she had delivered a baby and buried the remains in the backyard.

"I don't even know what to think," said Scott Richardson, Brooke Richardson's father, on that recording. "I just hope and pray they don't take you away. I just don't know what's going to happen next."

'I never meant to kill my baby': Police interrogation tapes with Skylar Richardson played at trial

 

[Peppery]

I believe it shows motive the baby could not survive. The reason the reaction of her parents. They belittled her and were ashamed of Skylar and what it was going to do to their image. I think Skylar thought she could totally hide the birth of the baby. jmo moo

Belittled, shamed, embarrassed, scared, worried about her image...sure.

Justification for murdering her child...no.

I’m curious to see what the doctor told her in April. It sounds like he was compassionate, open to discussing options, concerned about her mental health. It seems he would’ve been a good person to reach out to. Or respond to when he reached out to her multiple times. He could’ve put her in touch with adoption agencies, mental health counselors, and other people who would have helped her. If she really wanted help. Imo

 

[Gardenista]

When I read the transcript, I had+sympathy for Skylar.

But having raised two daughters, I have a different reaction after watching the tape.

The parents know she lies. She has lied to them before. They keep asking their questions over and over because they cannot trust her answers.

She is also emotionally manipulative. They have seen this behavior before too.

They do not appear shocked. They are horrified by her latest mess, but not shocked. They know she lies and do t know how much of her latest “story” they can believe.

Unfortunately, parents of children with eating disorders are subjected to their lies again and again.

 

[Tssiemer]

Belittled, shamed, embarrassed, scared, worried about her image...sure.

Justification for murdering her child...no.

I’m curious to see what the doctor told her in April. It sounds like he was compassionate, open to discussing options, concerned about her mental health. It seems he would’ve been a good person to reach out to. Or respond to when he reached out to her multiple times. He could’ve put her in touch with adoption agencies, mental health counselors, and other people who would have helped her. If she really wanted help. Imo

Her parents would have never let her give it up. IMO.

 

[iluvmua]

Her parents would have never let her give it up. IMO.

Her mother even said she would have supported her.

 

[fred&edna]

I'm very anxious to hear testimony from the mother. I am very curious what she thought after receiving the, "I'm literally speechless with how happy I am. My belly is back omg..." text msg from her daughter. Actually, I'm curious about lots of things... That's just one !

 

[Peppery]

Her parents would have never let her give it up. IMO.

I find it weird how she’s so under their control and afraid of getting in trouble or disappointing them except for when she’s having sex and going to the appointment mommy made for her to get birth control and maybe squeezing her newborn’s head a little too hard. I think she’s a pro at manipulation and playing the victim when it suits her.

 

[mike balto]

I'm not seeing a cold blooded killer, and I'm definitely not seeing a "spoiled, pampered cheerleader." She's practically begging her parents for their love and support. There is nothing I wouldn't support my children through.

I suffered extremely rare, serious pregnancy complications that nearly caused me to lose my first child at birth, if I had given birth at home he certainly would have died. The thought of being charged with murder as a result makes me shudder, which is why I have refused to join the lynch mob. I will wait until I hear the totality of the evidence and the verdict before I pass any judgement. I will not risk pillorying a frightened young girl who suffered still-birth or neonatal death.

For personal reasons this testimony is extremely difficult to deal with; my heart breaks for sweet, precious baby Annabelle.

I have taken some abuse on a few forums for daring to suggest that she might not be a cold blooded killer. This is such a sensitive subject, expressing a different point of view does not mean that someone doesn't care about the baby or the loss of an innocent little life, it simply means that some of us, or someone close to us, may have walked in a very different pair of shoes.

No judgement from me yet, there's still a very long way to go.

I'm trying to edit this to make it a little nicer.


Whoever said she looks like she's good at manipulating, I'm with them. She tells a lot of lies and they know it. But who knows? Maybe they lied to her?


Before I engage you, I want to find out if you think that conflict is abuse. Or if you think debate is fighting. I want to rebut you said, but I don't want you to then believe yourself to be a victim.

Please consider that it may be the hormones from pregnancy clouding your judgment here. Putting yourself in this girl's shoes might be an overabundance of empathy. She had different needs, wants, and desires than you. If you had been forced to have your child at home, and it was [edited] injured or worse...would you have struggled to hide that from everyone you know? Wouldn't your prenatal progress have been charted because you had been going to see the doctor prior to birth? Already you would not be in her position.


Believing that this teenage mother, who I have suggested is a victim of neglect and abuse from her own parents, did not neglect or abuse her own child, seems dishonest to me. If she wanted the baby to survive, she would have made plans for it after birth and she would have probably gotten some prenatal care. She probably wouldn't have taken birth control pills after knowing she was pregnant, also, though they're not supposed to be able to kill a growing baby. I believe she thought she could induce a miscarriage by taking them.

Because her parents claimed not to know she was pregnant, I think they are lying and complicit. I think they were the adults and they should have seen and known what was going on and let her feel loved and supported. I think they probably aren't very honest people, so I don't think their daughter is very honest.

I'm wondering if there's bigotries we are not even aware of. Was the baby's father a person of color?

I don't think pillorying or Lynch Mob or attacks

Are the best word here. She's a girl but she's also a woman. We have kids all over Baltimore who are abused into gangs at age 14 and then tried as adults. This girl has a lot more than the Baltimore area kids who get tried as adults, but just because she's blond or small or has a high voice, we're still referring to her as a girl. She has agency, more than we're giving her, but we can't separate her from the surrounding structure. But I don't think being critical of her is the same thing as attacking.

 

[BlackCloud]

I’m a guy so naturally I’m a little confused on a few things.

- she obviously didnt want the child. How could she under her own power induce delivery?
-during delivery, wouldn’t this have been dramatic in some way, shape or form where one of her parents would have been woken from the noise? I’m sure this wasn’t as smooth as passing gas in your sleep.

The first question is a mystery for me as well...

 

[autumnal]

Hi Websleuths,

been lurking a long time, starting with Watts case. That case still haunts me every day...
This is a great place. You guys help me to open my mind and challenge my way of thinking!
regarding this case, forgive me if it has been asked, but aren't they able during the autopsy to determine if a baby took a breath? Has it been determined that she did burn Baby Annabelle? Or crushed her head? I hate even typing that.
thanks you guys.

 

[beatrixpotter]

I think it's possible she just assumed the baby was dead. The fact that she had the baby so early makes it highly likely baby was not breathing on her own at birth. I had a baby at 35 weeks exactly. In my experience my baby came out completely limp and not breathing. She needed a lot of work to get her breathing. I remember them placing her on my belly to see her but I knew something was wrong.

She was not like a normal newborn. Totally floppy and no movement at all. She needed immediate assistance from a lot of people and then spent 5 days in the NICU. I can totally imagine a teenager assuming baby was dead and nothing could be done. Of course there is a tiny window in helping a newborn like that though. :/

 

[iluvmua]

Hi Websleuths,

been lurking a long time, starting with Watts case. That case still haunts me every day...
This is a great place. You guys help me to open my mind and challenge my way of thinking!
regarding this case, forgive me if it has been asked, but aren't they able during the autopsy to determine if a baby took a breath? Has it been determined that she did burn Baby Annabelle? Or crushed her head? I hate even typing that.
thanks you guys.

The baby has unexplained skull fractures.

The prosecution showed the skull in pieces mixed in with all the other remains.

Skylar supposedly told the police that her baby was born alive for 5 minutes, it moved, she heard it cry and that she might have killed it by squeezing too hard.

 

[mike balto]

So why didn't she buy any baby clothes.

 

[Tillicum]

So why didn't she buy any baby clothes.

Well supposedly she had around 8 more weeks until the baby was due and she could've been waiting until closer to her due date. To me it seems she was hoping she could just ignore 'it' and eventually 'it' would go away. That's just the impression I got.

 

[IceIce9]

The baby has unexplained skull fractures.

The prosecution showed the skull in pieces mixed in with all the other remains.

Skylar supposedly told the police that her baby was born alive for 5 minutes, it moved, she heard it cry and that she might have killed it by squeezing too hard.

I understand that some of you gave a great deal of sympathy for Skylar.

I have more sympathy for the poor little baby girl.

Skylar was 17, not 12 or 13, when the baby was born, old enough to know right from wrong. She had the listening ear if an empathetic doctor who would have helped her. Her joyful text regarding her flat stomach after the baby died is shocking.

Many teens have controlling or indifferent parents. My mom was always reminding me that she had been homecoming queen, that she never weighed more than 100 pounds, and she didn’t know what she did to “deserve me” since I weighed 115 pounds and my feet were “so big that she was embarrassed” because they were size 7 as compared to her size 5. I was reminded every day that I wasn’t cute, petite, and slender.

When I got pregnant at age 16 i was afraid to tell my mom. Yet somehow I refrained from squeezing my baby’s head, trying to cremate her and burying her in our back yard.

 

[iluvmua]

So why didn't she buy any baby clothes.

Because I think she knew what she was eventually going to do once the baby was here.

She did not want to get attached to her child in any way, shape or form.

Imo

 

[iluvmua]

If I were on the jury right now, I would be putting 2 and 2 together.

Jmo

 

[mike balto]

I understand that some of you gave a great deal of sympathy for Skylar.

I have more sympathy for the poor little baby girl.

Skylar was 17, not 12 or 13, when the baby was born, old enough to know right from wrong. She had the listening ear if an empathetic doctor who would have helped her. Her joyful text regarding her flat stomach after the baby died is shocking.

Many teens have controlling or indifferent parents. My mom was always reminding me that she had been homecoming queen, that she never weighed more than 100 pounds, and she didn’t know what she did to “deserve me” since I weighed 115 pounds and my feet were “so big that she was embarrassed” because they were size 7 as compared to her size 5. I was reminded every day that I wasn’t cute, petite, and slender.

When I got pregnant at age 16 i was afraid to tell my mom. Yet somehow I refrained from squeezing my baby’s head, trying to cremate her and burying her in our back yard.

First I want to say sympathies to you for that kind of abuse you faced as a kid. It makes us grow up fast, doesn't it? I got it from my dad but it's similar. Also, I was making the same point about bulimics. I was a bulimic but I never killed a child. I really think she's got people snowed when she uses a baby voice and big eyes but I do think she cares more about appearing not normal as opposed to being a murderer. You always have to ask about the apple and the tree and hurt people hurt people. I think hearing her whine to her parents like she's five years old is not making me sympathetic towards her, but I understand age regression as well. So this is a very compelling case. In my opinion.

 

[Peppery]

Hi Websleuths,

been lurking a long time, starting with Watts case. That case still haunts me every day...
This is a great place. You guys help me to open my mind and challenge my way of thinking!
regarding this case, forgive me if it has been asked, but aren't they able during the autopsy to determine if a baby took a breath? Has it been determined that she did burn Baby Annabelle? Or crushed her head? I hate even typing that.
thanks you guys.

The autopsy would have shown if the baby took a breath if the lungs had been present. It’s unknown if Annabelle was burned or if it was through the natural decomposition process, but only her skeletal remains were left when she was found.

 

[Peppery]

I'm wondering if there's bigotries we are not even aware of. Was the baby's father a person of color?
.

This is the only MSM pic I can find of him, but he appears to be white imo

Law & Crime Network on Twitter