The jury in the trial of Michelle Camire, a mother accused of killing her infant son, heard a recording of an emotional 911 call in a Winnipeg courtroom on Tuesday.
Camire, 26, has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter in the death of Michael Helgason, one of her three-month-old triplets. The boy died of head injuries in October 2004.
In the five-minute recording played Tuesday, Camire is heard sobbing to the 911 operator on a call received just after 11 a.m. on Oct. 22.
"My three-month old baby, I've killed him," she cries, then struggles to answer questions about her address and whether the baby was breathing.
"I was tired and frustrated earlier and I slammed him down when I put him down," she says. "I'm going to go to jail, aren't I?
"He's gone, he's gone, I know he's gone," she says, then begins to sob.
The operator inquires about the sound of a child talking in the background, and Camire says it's her 20-month-old daughter.
"Oh my God, what has mommy done?" she says. "How am I going to tell your daddy this?"
The 911 operator transfers the call to a paramedic, who asks Camire what happened.
The paramedic urges Camire to keep calm.
"I'm going to tell you how to help your baby," he says, and leads Camire through first aid and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
As emergency responders arrive, Camire again tells the operator, "I can't believe I did this to him."
Bradley Mazor, the first Winnipeg firefighter to arrive at Camire's North Kildonan townhouse, told the court he found Camire on her knees over the baby, crying.
Mazor said he asked Camire how her baby had stopped breathing.
She told him she was frustrated and threw the baby down onto the bassinette or into the bassinette, Mazor testified.
The firefighter said he could tell from the baby's colour that the child was in trouble.
The infant, Michael Helgason, was pronounced dead later in hospital.
Crown attorney Brian Bell has alleged Camire slammed the child's head into a bassinette, then found him unresponsive about two hours later before calling for help.
Camire's trial is expected to last two weeks.
6 comments:
I feel awful for this mom. Its been two and a half years already! Its funny how none of the news people can get the story right on the help she was receiving, which from my understanding, really wasnt a lot. 46 hours sounds like a lot, but when you break it down over the week and you have people who come late or dont showup....
Yes Anonymous.
How can anyone feel sorry for the Mother, when it is a fact as to what is on the 911 tape. And sure this happened 2 years ago that is the Canadian justice System for you. There are many cases that happened 2 may-be 3 years ago that have not made it too Court
@ 1st anonymous, i really didn't understand what u wrote but i am sure u made ur point.
@ 2nd anonymous, i don't think the mother should be pitied cos as a mother, she should have bn able to control herself by calming the baby down instead of killing him just to make him quiet.
In response to your comment I never say lets all feel sorry for this mother look at the hole picture it is not just them (mom & Baby) there are other family members who are hurting, and the reason I say this as, I have been where this moms Family is and the media and others who read this or watch it on the 6 o'clock news is so quick to judge as everyone knows the media never gets the whole story out there we have to remember this (Mom & Baby) had a Family who need support also, As I have said I am a Grandma who lost a grandson almost the same way and my Daughter went threw Hell as did his bother and sister because what the media was saying everything ugly.......... I guess what I am saying try not to judge to hard don't believe everything that is put out there....Please remember this little baby had family who needs support
Accept my sympathy on the loss of ur grand son.
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