ISAAC ROBITILLE - 13 yo (8/14) - / Charged: Mother and boyfriend, Melissa Robitille and Walter Richters - Hardwick, VT

Parents charged in Hardwick child's death

Posted: Updated:
By Jennifer Costa

Melissa Robitille

Walter Richters


HARDWICK, Vt. - New developments in the death of a disabled Hardwick teenager. The case is now being called a homicide and two people are in custody.

The child's mother and her boyfriend are now facing second-degree murder charges. The couple is accused of putting alcohol in the boy's IV.

Police say on Aug. 22 they were called to the Hardwick home of Melissa Robitille and Walter Richters. First responders say they found 13-year-old Isaac Robitille dead inside. The boy had significant medical conditions, including multiple physical handicaps that required the assistance of caretakers, feeding tubes and IVs to keep him alive. The child's autopsy revealed he had a BAC of 0.146, almost twice the legal limit for an adult to drive.

Investigators say Melissa Robitille and Walter Richters intentionally added alcohol to their son's IV bag. The medical examiner's office ruled the death a homicide and said the contributing cause was alcohol.

Melissa Robitille, 38, and Richters, 38, were arrested Tuesday. They are still being processed. No word yet on when the couple will be arraigned on second-degree murder.


http://www.wcax.com/story/26728908/parents-charged-in-hardwick-childs-death

Murdered teen spent time in Vt. DCF custody

Posted: Updated: By Kristin Kelly


Walter Richters


Melissa Robitille

HARDWICK, Vt. - Isaac Robitille was 5 when he got a puppy from Make-A-Wish. A loving scene in 2005-- the boy born with serious health issues and disabilities getting a boost to take on challenges in his life. But now his mom, Melissa, and her boyfriend Walter Richters are charged with second-degree murder. Police say they put vodka in Isaac's IV to calm him down, poisoning him in August.

DCF now confirms that problems in Isaac's home date back at least seven years. The state removed Isaac from his mother in 2007. The exact reason is not clear. But a DCF expert recommended he go back to her in 2008. In May of this year, three months before his death, DCF got a new complaint about Isaac's care. The state says it investigated concerns about a third-party caregiver-- not Isaac's mom-- and the complaint was not substantiated. So Isaac stayed at home with the same care plan in place.

"Just shocking," said Sen. Dick Sears, D-Bennington, who chairs the judiciary committee.

Sears is leading a legislative review of the state's child protection policies following the deaths of two toddlers earlier this year. Both Peighton Geraw and Dezirae Sheldon had spent time in DCF care and returned to their moms before being killed.

"We need to reconsider the reunification policies, particularly if there is a history of substance abuse. And we need to um continue to make sure the policies and the laws are followed," Sears said.

He also says his panel's review is finding inconsistent standards for reunification around the state and the need for better communication among those dealing with children. He says his committee learned Friday of Isaac's time in DCF custody back in 2007, but were not told about the unfounded claim DCF investigated in May about one of Isaac's caregivers.

"I wasn't aware of the allegations of three months ago, so that's new to me today," Sears said. "And hearing it from you is kind of disappointing. I wish we had heard it from them."

DCF Commissioner Ken Schatz was not available for an on camera interview. He says there were no open cases involving Isaac at the time of his death.


http://www.wcax.com/story/26797524/murdered-teen-spent-time-in-vt-dcf-custody

Another POS mother.  Another POS man.  Another dead child.