Crystal Tamara Conklin always hated her son

[jlt080405]

Warren mother sentenced to life in death of 2-year-old son
5/21/2008, 5:02 p.m. EDT
The Associated Press

http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/michigan/index.ssf?/base/news-53/121140415420000.xml&storylist=newsmichigan


WARREN, Mich. (AP) — A 27-year-old Warren woman has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for first-degree murder in the death of her 2-year-old son.

Macomb County Circuit Court Judge John Foster also has sentenced Crystal Tamara Conklin to 9 to 15 years in prison for first-degree child abuse.

The sentences will run concurrently.

A jury had found Conklin guilty last month.

Michael Sowards had returned home from work last June 11 to find their son, Sean, unresponsive.

Sean Sowards was treated for a closed-head injury and died two days later at a local hospital.

Investigators have said the boy had a fractured femur, two missing toenails and bruises all over his body.

Michael Sowards is being charged with child abuse in a separate case.

more specifics of trial
http://www.theoaklandpress.com/stories/042508/pol_20080425292.shtml

this link has details of the abuse
http://www.macombdaily.com/stories/083007/loc_mtrial001.shtml

uncle's description of abuse
http://www.macombdaily.com/stories/042308/loc_local03.shtml

could'nt find a pic or info on michael sowards case.

[Dakota Valkyrie]

She told detectives she exited the bathroom after hearing a cat scream, heard a "thump" in the bathroom and returned to find her son motionless on the floor,
"She was very upset at his crying," he said. "She once said that something was wrong with him and then said she thought he was doing it on purpose."
Kathleen Conklin said she visited her sister's family the weekend before her nephew's death, but saw him only once. A lock was on the outside of his bedroom door and both of his legs were tucked into one pant leg, she said. Crystal often kept Sean wrapped in two blankets and usually had him in a car seat or high chair, restricting his movements, she said. When she questioned her sister about his bruised fingertips, the Warren sister replied he slammed them in the refrigerator.
She blames the baby, the cat and the fridge for his injuries.

Damn cats. Damn fridge. Damn cunt.

And damn the uncle and her sister for doing nothing.

[mamacitakmo]

Oh my, i just can't comprehend. What a hateful woman. This is my first post, and i will repeat something i've heard here:
I just want to take that precious little boy into my arms and take away all the pain and hurt he had to endure for his whole short life. I can't imagine seeing the disparity he had to have in his eyes, and yet still hopefully looked to his mother for love, a kind touch. I truly hope for eternal justice, and that there is a Hell where these evil people can burn forever. Partial solution: Sterilization. Fuck the rights of these demons.

[impqueen]

Welcome, mamacitakmo :D

[SqueakyClean]

life in prison without parole

Thank you Judge Foster!!!

Stupid crazy bitch!!!

[ImmortalOne]

This is right down the road from me... only moments away. I found something to add to this.

http://www.macombdaily.com/stories/041908/loc_local02.shtml


Sean Sowards had signs of prior abuse, as at least three dozen bruises, abrasions and cuts were found all over his body, and were described in court by Marnie Van Dam, a forensic nurse.

"He was battered head to toe," assistant Macomb prosecutor Therese Tobin said outside the courtroom. "He was basically blind" from apparent shaking or hitting of his head.

Photos of Sean showing injuries were displayed in the courtroom, prompting tears from some jurors.

His big-toe toenails were torn off and replaced by dried blood, a photo showed. His eyelids were red and swollen, and his corneas were cloudy. The various colors of bruises -- green, purple, brown and red -- showed recent and old abuse, Van Dam said.

DeGraw said Sean showed signs of being underfed since he had the weight of a child half his age. His undernourished state indicated a deliberate or extremely careless method of feeding.

"To me, it was neglect, a restriction of food," DeGraw said. "You would have to work extremely hard to make a child not gain weight like that."

He said he commonly tells parents that they cannot force a child to eat, but that a child can sufficiently grow and gain weight with "five solid meals a week."

Conklin's daughter, Angelique or "Angel," who was 4 when her brother died, showed no signs of abuse or lack of nourishment, he said.

"(Sean) seemed to be a target for some reason," DeGraw said. "His sister was fed appropriately and didn't have a mark on her."

Krystal Magnan of the state Department of Human Services testified she interviewed Conklin and Sowards the day after Sean was taken to the hospital in the lobby of the juvenile court at the county Juvenile Justice Center. Conklin didn't reveal much other than agree with statements by Sowards.

"She didn't really give me answers," Magnan said. "She piggy-backed on what the dad said, what Mr. Sowards said.

"They both said that he (Sean) was clumsy and he would bump into walls a lot, and (his sister) was physically aggressive toward him."

Sowards also was originally arrested by police but released with no charges filed.

Magnan said DHS officials investigated two complaints at the household in recent years, and two complaints were not deemed serious enough to warrant investigation.

In 2005, someone complained that Conklin beat Sean.

"There were allegations made Miss Conklin would wake up Sean from naps and beat him," Magnan said.

The complainant said that Conklin wished she did not give birth to Sean.

"She doesn't want him and only kept him because the father wanted him," she said of the allegation.

However, insufficient evidence existed to bring a formal complaint, Magnan said.

In September 2003, the girl tested positive for marijuana, she said. "The family was provided services."

Sean's paternal grandmother, Elizabeth Herd, testified she complained to DHS about Sean's treatment when he was 4 months old.

"My concerns were Sean was being injured in his home," she said. "I told them my 4-month-old grandson was being spanked by his mother because he wouldn't stop crying."

She said she was told that "unless he is seriously injured or dead, they would not investigate."

"They said parents have a right to discipline their children, and it was none of my business," she said.

Herd said she was told by Conklin in April or May 2006 that Sean had an eye infection. That was the last time Herd was able to maintain contact with her grandson, she said.

Herd also said she had seen scratches on Sean's face and bruises on his forehead and was told by Conklin or her son that the injuries were inflicted by Sean's sister.

Herd said her son has had trouble making money.

Also shown to the jury were photographs of the approximately 950-square-foot, "shotgun"-style ranch home the night the boy was taken to the hospital, introduced under the testimony of Warren police Detective John Pierce.

Blood spots, spatters and smearing were found in several locations in Sean's room, including on the carpet, walls of his closet, on the closet door, and on a fitted sheet on his mattress. All the mattresses in the home were on the floor.

Blood-spattered clothes were on the floor of the utility room, where the washing machine and drier were kept. In the washing machine were wet clothes that had an odor of vomit, according to Warren Police Officer Marlene Niedermeier.

Each of the children's bedroom doors had a street name sign hanging on the front to identify it. Sean's black-and-white sign said "Sean Ave." Angel's green-and-white sign was "Angel St."

Both doors were fitted with locks that can be locked from the outside.

Police found a small plate with suspected marijuana on it behind the couch in the living room.

There was a 3-inch by 2-inch hole in a living room wall near the floor.

[ImmortalOne]

... and this picture of Little Sean Sowards breaks my heart....

http://www.clickondetroit.com/2007/0615/13510629_240X180.jpg

[SqueakyClean]

Oh shit. :cry: Look at those big blue eyes. :cry:

I wish to fuck I could have taken him. He's almost the same age as my son - they would have had a great time playing together. I wish I could operate some kind of safehouse, where worthless fucktards like this bitch could just drop off the kids they don't want.

[Unamused Cat]

This is sickening. I hope that bitch gets shanked in prison.

[michelle]

I can't take this. That picture.
Damn it damn it. WTF??? WHY? WHY?
:crying::crying::crying:

[TheLittleFriend]

Conklin wished she did not give birth to Sean....she didn't want him, but only to kept him because his father wanted him?

That bitch had choice. If she did not want him, all she have to is....pack her shit, leave the baby with the father and hit the road. Better than beating him to death. :rant:


She woke him up from naps and beat him??? Ohhh, I wanna beat her until I send her to :rip:

[~Absynthe~]

This makes me sick..and leaves me with a very heavy heart!

Why didn't the family do something? The grandma says she contacted social services, the aunt had been there and only seen him once over the weekend, the uncle seen her throw him acrossed the room into a coffee table.

I can tell you that if one of my granddaughters was being spanked at 4 months old, I would grab her and run! If they wanted her back they would have to send the police to my house to try and get her back.

If I showed up at my brothers house and his son was in his room with two legs in one pant hole and had bruised fingers and a lock on the outside of his door..I would scoop him up and run, call DFC on my ass!

If I was an uncle and watched my neice throw my nephew across the room, I would have taken him to the hospital, and told them what happened!

Not only did his mother fail him..but I feel several of his family members failed him too!!!

Abusers..if you don't want your children..please, please give them to someone who will love and cherish them, someone who will keep them safe and free from harm! That is the nicest thing that I can say, because you really make me sick and angry and I would like to do to you what you do to your children..you know an eye for an eye..and that is still being kind! SICK MOTHER FUCKING SELFISH PIECES OF SHIT!!

[jlt080405]

I am out of thanks again, but, wanted to say thank you IO for the additional info. I have read a ton of articles on this case it is absolutely disgusting in so many ways. so, I guess you don't live too far from me then, I am about one hour north of Flint


mamacitakmo - :welcome: