New information has emerged regarding the severe mistreatment suffered by a newborn baby, following the sentencing of a mother implicated in her son’s death.
In 2021, Kristie Lee Willmot’s infant, Michael Willmot, tragically lost his life at just 37 days old. Charges of murder were initially brought against Willmot and her then-partner, Robert Alan Gee, after the baby was discovered unresponsive in a Logan parking lot in 2021. However, both individuals admitted to lesser charges during their recent court appearance.
Willmot pleaded guilty to the mistreatment of a child under 16, occurring between June 10-15, 2021. Gee, on the other hand, confessed to a charge of manslaughter and when prompted, declined to make any additional statements, as per news.com.au.
According to court testimonies, Willmot would visit Gee at a caravan park in Logan, leaving baby Michael under Gee’s supervision for a brief period while she went to procure drugs for an acquaintance.
During this short interval, Michael became agitated and upset, leading Gee to shake him violently and then throw him onto a couch. Subsequently, Gee messaged Willmot, falsely claiming that Michael was “fine and asleep”.
Over the ensuing days, the baby’s health worsened, exhibiting a high fever and refusal to feed. It was acknowledged by the court that the infant would have been in significant distress. Rather than seeking medical help, Willmot documented some symptoms on her phone and conversed with Gee via text regarding the situation.
In a text message, Willmot confessed, “I feel I should have taken him to the hospital the other night. Now I am at a loss. He is not improving and is truly alarming me. However, I can almost guarantee that if we take him in days later with an unknown injury, he won’t come back with me. Child services have already flagged me for potential neglect.”
The court heard that the baby struggled to feed, leading Willmot to resort to using a syringe to feed him. Tragically, on June 14, 2021, Michael ceased breathing and was pronounced dead by paramedics, four days after sustaining injuries. An autopsy revealed “catastrophic injuries” consistent with the reported shaking.
A Crown prosecutor stated, “The defendant’s neglect of her duties as a mother resulted in harm during that period.”
Although Willmot cooperated with law enforcement, she concealed the fact that she was procuring drugs for a friend when Gee shook her child.
While Willmot was not directly responsible for her child’s demise, her culpability stemmed from her failure to recognize that her inaction could lead to the baby’s death.
Justice Martin Burns articulated that there was no evidence suggesting Willmot was present when her son was harmed by Gee, nor that she was aware of the incident.
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