An autopsy revealed that baby Michael Willmot suffered “catastrophic injuries” after spending less than a hour in the care of his mother’s then-boyfriend, Robert Alan Gee
Details of the horrific abuse inflicted on a newborn baby have come to light after a mother learned her fate for her role in the death of her son.
Kristie Lee Willmot’s little boy Michael Willmot was killed in 2021. At the time he was just 37 days old. Willmot and her then partner, Robert Alan Gee, were initially charged with the baby’s murder after he was found unresponsive at a Logan carpark in 2021. But the pair pleaded guilty to downgraded charges when they faced court last week
Willmot pleaded guilty to cruelty to children under the age of 16, committed between June 10-15, 2021. Gee pleaded guilty to a single count of manslaughter, answering “no” when asked if he had anything else to say, news.com.au reports.
The court was told Willnot would visit Gee at his caravan park in Logan, and that she had left baby Michael in Gee’s care for less than an hour while she went to source drugs for a friend.
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During that short time, Michael became “unsettled” and “frustrated” and Gee, violently shook the baby for a few seconds before throwing him into a couch. He then sent Willmott a message indicating Michael was “well and asleep”.
But over the following few days, the baby’s condition deteriorated. His temperature soared and he refused to feed, and the court accepted he would have been in immense pain. Rather than seek medical attention, Willmot recorded some of the symptoms on her phone and discussed with Gee over text about what might have happened.
“I think I should have taken him to the hospital the other night,” Willmot admitted in a text message. “Now I don’t know what to do. He’s not getting better and truly scaring me. But I can almost guarantee for us to take him in days later with an unknown injury, he wouldn’t be coming home with me. Child services already have me flagged for possible neglect.”
The court was told the baby was having trouble feeding and that Willmot actually resorted to using a syringe to try to administer his formula. But on June 14, 2021, Michael stopped breathing and was declared dead by paramedics, four days after being injured. An autopsy revealed “catastrophic injuries” consistent with the shaking.
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“The defendant’s failure to act in accordance with her obligations as a mother caused him harm during that period,” a Crown prosecutor said.
The court was told Willmot was co-operative with police but hid that she was out sourcing drugs for a friend at the time Gee shook her child.
While Willmot was not criminally responsible for causing her child’s death, her criminality was on the basis that she ought to have known her failure to act would have caused the baby’s death.
Justice Martin Burns said there was no suggestion Willmot was with her son when he was injured by Gee, nor that she knew what had occurred.
“However, it became quite apparent to you upon return the baby was unwell,” he said. “Any doubt should have been dispelled as you watched his condition deteriorate over the coming days.”
Willmot was sentenced to four years’ jail, suspended with her time in custody already served and walked free from court. Gee will be sentenced on November 13.