MELISSA CALHOUN - 2 yo (2010) - Yorkville (NW of Utica) NY

New York State Police and the Yorkville Police Department are
investigating the death of a two year old who was found dead in her home
Saturday morning.

Police say the toddler’s babysitter was
watching the child since Friday night at the home on Ney Avenue. When
the mother arrived home on Saturday morning, police say the child was
alert and talking.

But moments after the mother got home,
police received a call that the child was not breathing. When police
arrived, the child was dead.

The 13-year-old babysitter has been
charged with manslaughter and is being held in a juvenile detention
facility.

Two-year-old Melissa Calhoun died from an injury to the back of her
head, authorities said Sunday even as many other questions about her
death remained unanswered.
Melissa was pronounced dead Saturday morning at a home on the 1200
block of Ney Avenue. A 13-year-old family friend who was babysitting her
has been charged with second-degree manslaughter, state police said.
Second-degree manslaughter is a charge applied when a person recklessly
causes the death of another person. It is not premeditated.
Authorities said the case has been turned over to Oneida County Family
Court. Yet there will be discussions on whether the teenager, who has
been charged as a juvenile, might instead be prosecuted in adult
criminal court, Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara said.
“At this point, we haven't decided,” said McNamara, who said he planned
to meet today with investigators to review the case and the autopsy results.
If it remains in Family Court, the prosecution could fall to John
Herbowy of the Oneida County Attorney's Office, McNamara said.
The 13-year-old was transported to an undisclosed detention facility.
On Sunday afternoon at about 4 p.m., a state trooper was posted outside
the Ney Avenue crime scene. He said investigators were inside with family members.
A woman leaned against a truck parked in the driveway, talking on a cell phone and crying.
Investigator Chad Tangorra came outside briefly to say the 13-year-old
was a family friend who had been babysitting.
He and other members of the state police would not release the name or
gender of the 13-year-old suspect.
Tangorra would not say whether Melissa's mother, Irene Calhoun, was in
the house when the incident happened, but did say the mother was home
when the child was found to be dead.
Tangorra said he was not certain who called emergency personnel
Saturday morning, but did say the call was made “by people in the house.”
More information on the case might become available today, state police
Capt. Frank Coots said.
Coots said Sunday that he was not authorized to discuss the
investigation. The Family Court Act restricts the amount of information
that can be released about a juvenile suspect, he said.
The autopsy showed Melissa died of blunt-force trauma to the back of
the head, Oneida County Coroner Stephen Wolanin said Sunday.
There was no evidence of other injuries, such as bone breaks or
fractures, Wolanin said.

'It breaks my heart'

Neighbors on Ney Avenue remained tightlipped Sunday afternoon, although
some expressed frustration with the reporters who had been approaching
the home where Melissa died.
The house is a one-story gray clapboard structure with a pot of red
geraniums near the front door and a barbecue grill in the driveway.
Farther from the block, Mary Zarnoch-Riley, who lives just over the
Utica-Yorkville border and does not know the family, said it was
surprising to hear of such an incident in the close-knit neighborhood.
“Every time I think of that story, it breaks my heart, because my son
is not that much younger than her,” she said. Her son Ethan, who is
almost 2, was seated in a red wagon close to her.

A mother consoled

Irene Calhoun attended Grace Episcopal Church in Utica Sunday morning,
church officials said.
Organist and choirmaster Bruce Smith said Irene Calhoun had been a
member of his choir for one season a few years ago, but had to stop
because she had so many other commitments.
“She was delightful to work with,” he said, adding that she had sung in
the choir when she was younger and loves to sing. “She always came in
with a smile on her face and was always ready to work.”
Smith said as soon as Irene Calhoun entered the church Sunday, she was
“immediately surrounded by lots of people in the church who knew her.”
Smith said he had spoken with her Sunday as well.
“I basically said to her that there wasn't anything I could say that
was going to make the situation better, and that I was just going to sit
with her,” he said. “And that's what I did.”

A 13-year-old New York boy has been charged with second-degree murder
in the death of a 2-year-old girl he was baby-sitting.The boy is
accused of hitting Melissa Calhoun in the face, shoving her so hard
that she hit her head on the floor and a table, and hitting her head
with a refrigerator door. He also is accused of sexually assaulting her.An
autopsy determined the cause of death was internal bleeding from an
injury to the back of her head.Authorities say Melissa was found
dead by her mother, Irene Calhoun, on Saturday morning at her home in
the Utica suburb of Yorkville.State Police Capt. Mark Lincoln
says the Whitesboro teen pleaded not guilty in Floyd Town Court on
Monday and is being held without bail pending a hearing Friday.Police
describe the boy as a family friend.

13-Year-Old NY Babysitter Charged with Murder of 2-Year-Old
Posted by Naimah Jabali-Nash


YORKVILLE, N.Y. (CBS/WTVH) Police charged a Whitesboro, N.Y. teenager with second-degree murder Monday after the 2-year-old girl he was babysitting on Friday was found dead,.
The 13-year-old boy pleaded not guilty in Floyd Town Court where he was held without bail awaiting a hearing on Friday, said State Police Capt. Mark Lincoln during a news conference.

According to WTVH, the boy is accused of hitting "family friend" Melissa Calhoun in the face with his hand, causing her to hit her head on the floor and a table. Investigators believe he then slammed Melissa's head into a refrigerator door and proceeded to sexually assault her.

When the girl's mother, Irene Calhoun, returned home at around 1 a.m., she checked on her daughter who seemed to be unharmed before going to sleep. Saturday morning Irene immediately called 911 when she found her daughter to be unresponsive.

An autopsy revealed the cause of death to be internal bleeding stemming from blows to the back of her head.

Oneinda County District Attorney Scott McNamara told WTVH the murder charge was filed so the teen could be tried in criminal court instead of family court. Defense attorney Richard Bach submitted the not guilty plea for his client.

If convicted, the boy could serve a maximum of 9 years to life in prison and a minimum penalty of five years in prison.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20008573-504083.html

Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Teen babysitter pleads guilty to sexual assault and murder of two year old
By PAT BAILEY



YORKVILLE, N.Y. (WKTV) - A teenage babysitter entrusted with the care of a two year old girl in June pleaded guilty Monday morning in Oneida County Court to sexually assaulting and murdering the toddler, describing the horrific events to the court.

Alec Champagne, 14, is an eighth grader in Whitesboro. However, instead of preparing for an upcoming winter break like many other students his age, Champagne instead appeared in Oneida County Court to plead guilty to the charge of sexual assault and second-degree murder.

Champagne admitted to killing two year-old Melissa Calhoun of Yorkville and is expected to serve five years of secured detention in a youth facility for the crime. The low amount of time and the incarceration at a youth facility is due to his age, said Oneida County First Assistant District Attorney Michael Coluzza.

In court on Monday, Champagne told the court all the graphic details of June 18, the day he was babysitting the Calhoun.

In court, Champagne said he was picked up that night by the Calhoun family and brought to their house to watch the two year-old girl and her one year-old brother.

A woman saying she was Melissa Calhoun's aunt tells NEWSChannel 2 that only the mother picked up Champagne that night and peeked in on the child, saying the father was not present for those events.

Champagne told the court he put the two to bed around 8 p.m., but Melissa Calhoun woke up around 10 p.m. crying, Champagne told the court.



"I hit her with the back of my hand because she wouldn't stop crying," Champagne told the judge.

After the initial strike, Champagne said he texted Melissa's mother to tell her she bit her lip, but that it was no need to come home.

Champagne then described how he hit the toddler with the refrigerator, and knocked her down several times because she wouldn't stop crying.

After the two watched television for a while, Melissa spilled water on her clothes. Champagne said after he took the toddler's clothes off, he sexually assaulted her.

"You never thought to tell anyone about the injuries?" asked Oneida County Court Judge Barry Donalty

"No," Champagne replied.

According to Champagne, Calhoun suffered four blows to the head before she was put in her room to sleep. The Calhoun family arrived home around 1 a.m. at which time they "peeked" into the children's room to see if they were asleep.

The next morning, Champagne woke up around 7:30 a.m., just before the Calhoun family discovered Melissa was dead.

"It's been a very difficult case for everyone concerned," said Coluzza. "The facts and circumstances are tragic. There are no easy answers in a situation like this this."

http://www.wktv.com/news/crime-reports/Teen-babysitter-pleads-guilty-to-sexual-assault-and-murder-of-two-year-old.html?m=y

Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Teen sentenced for murder and sexual assault of toddler he babysat



UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - The teenage babysitter who pleaded guilty to the sexual assault and murder of a toddler in his care has learned just how long he will spend in a detention facility.

On Monday in Oneida County Family Court, Judge Griffith gave Alec Champagne 18 months in a secure facility, 12 months in a residential facility. The judge said Champagne will then be under a 2 1/2 year evaluation by the Office of Children and Family Services for further action.

Judge Griffith could only sentence Champagne to a maximum of five years total, thus leading to the combined total of five years between the secure facility, the residential facility and the evaluation period.

He could be held up to the age of 21 if the OCFS feels it is warranted.

Champagne, 14, was a junior high student in Whitesboro when he pleaded guilty in Oneida County Court back in December to sexually assaulting and murdering two year old Melissa Calhoun, of Yorkville, a toddler he had been babysitting in June.

In December, Champagne told the court all the graphic details of June 18, the day he was babysitting the Calhoun. In court, Champagne said he was picked up that night by the Calhoun family and brought to their house to watch the two year-old girl and her one year-old brother.

A woman saying she was Melissa Calhoun's aunt tells NEWSChannel 2 that only the mother picked up Champagne that night and peeked in on the child, saying the father was not present for those events.

Champagne told the court he put the two to bed around 8 p.m., but Melissa Calhoun woke up around 10 p.m. crying, Champagne told the court.

"I hit her with the back of my hand because she wouldn't stop crying," Champagne told the judge back in December.

After the initial strike, Champagne said he texted Melissa's mother to tell her she bit her lip, but that it was no need to come home.

Champagne then described how he hit the toddler with the refrigerator, and knocked her down several times because she wouldn't stop crying.

After the two watched television for a while, Melissa spilled water on her clothes. Champagne said after he took the toddler's clothes off, he sexually assaulted her.

"You never thought to tell anyone about the injuries?" asked Oneida County Court Judge Barry Donalty

"No," Champagne replied.

According to Champagne, Calhoun suffered four blows to the head before she was put in her room to sleep. The Calhoun family arrived home around 1 a.m. at which time they "peeked" into the children's room to see if they were asleep.

The next morning, Champagne woke up around 7:30 a.m., just before the Calhoun family discovered Melissa was dead.

http://www.wktv.com/news/local/Teen-to-serve-2-12-years-in-youth-facilities-for-murder-and-sexual-assault-of-toddler-he-babysat-118376819.html?m=y