Massachusetts woman Erika Murray is accused of killing two of her own
children and neglecting others in one of the grisliest criminal cases in
recent memory.
Murray pleaded not guilty
to a number of charges, including murder, at her arraignment Monday,
while prosecutors painted a horrifying picture of Murray's home.
Police reportedly found the bodies of three dead infants there in
September. Four living children were removed from the residence
following the discovery.
Assistant District Attorney John E. Bradley Jr. told the court that
Erika Murray's three-year-old "could not walk or talk" and seemed
essentially deaf.
"Pediatricians had to literally clean the maggots out of her ears so
that she was able to hear correctly," he said, adding that she was
"covered in feces."
A six-month-old was also found in a room next door that had "stacks of
soiled diapers that were piled about a foot or so high," the prosecutor
went on.
The body of one infant was found in a closet "wrapped in a pair of
sweat pants," he said. "The baby still had the umbilical cord and the
placenta attached to it."
Two other dead babies were found in closets. Erika Murray reportedly
told police officials that one of the babies lived between 1-3 weeks
before dying.
A 13-year-old and a 10-year-old taken from the Blackstone, Mass., home
upon this horrifying discovery appeared to be unharmed. Physically, at
least.
Authorities said Murray, 31, hid the babies from her live-in boyfriend
Raymond Rivera, 38, because, for financial reasons, he did not want any
more kids.
But the couple continued to have unprotected sex, and in turn, Murray
became pregnant five times in seven years, which she tried to conceal
from Rivera.
She delivered the infants alone in the bathroom, then took them
upstairs "in an effort to hide the babies from her boyfriend," the Boston Globe reports.
Rivera claimed he had no idea about the state of the upstairs bedrooms,
but it was revealed that he'd been sleeping "just eight feet" from the
babies' remains.
He was arraigned as well on December 16, and faces seven charges,
including two counts of assault and battery on a child causing
substantial bodily injury.
Murray has not been charged with murder for the baby found with the
umbilical cord still attached. Her lawyer called the other murder
charges premature.
"There is not a single case in Massachusetts that supports a conviction
of murder on evidence so speculative and so weak," Keith Halpern
stated.
He added that "The appropriate thing would have been to wait for the
medical examiner's report to be completed" and that Murray's statements
were inconsistent.
According to the attorney, his client "simply agreed with whatever they
asked because it was her belief that if she went along with them she'd
go home."
Murray is being held on $1 million bail pending trial.
children and neglecting others in one of the grisliest criminal cases in
recent memory.
Murray pleaded not guilty
to a number of charges, including murder, at her arraignment Monday,
while prosecutors painted a horrifying picture of Murray's home.
Police reportedly found the bodies of three dead infants there in
September. Four living children were removed from the residence
following the discovery.
Assistant District Attorney John E. Bradley Jr. told the court that
Erika Murray's three-year-old "could not walk or talk" and seemed
essentially deaf.
"Pediatricians had to literally clean the maggots out of her ears so
that she was able to hear correctly," he said, adding that she was
"covered in feces."
A six-month-old was also found in a room next door that had "stacks of
soiled diapers that were piled about a foot or so high," the prosecutor
went on.
The body of one infant was found in a closet "wrapped in a pair of
sweat pants," he said. "The baby still had the umbilical cord and the
placenta attached to it."
Two other dead babies were found in closets. Erika Murray reportedly
told police officials that one of the babies lived between 1-3 weeks
before dying.
A 13-year-old and a 10-year-old taken from the Blackstone, Mass., home
upon this horrifying discovery appeared to be unharmed. Physically, at
least.
Authorities said Murray, 31, hid the babies from her live-in boyfriend
Raymond Rivera, 38, because, for financial reasons, he did not want any
more kids.
But the couple continued to have unprotected sex, and in turn, Murray
became pregnant five times in seven years, which she tried to conceal
from Rivera.
She delivered the infants alone in the bathroom, then took them
upstairs "in an effort to hide the babies from her boyfriend," the Boston Globe reports.
Rivera claimed he had no idea about the state of the upstairs bedrooms,
but it was revealed that he'd been sleeping "just eight feet" from the
babies' remains.
He was arraigned as well on December 16, and faces seven charges,
including two counts of assault and battery on a child causing
substantial bodily injury.
Murray has not been charged with murder for the baby found with the
umbilical cord still attached. Her lawyer called the other murder
charges premature.
"There is not a single case in Massachusetts that supports a conviction
of murder on evidence so speculative and so weak," Keith Halpern
stated.
He added that "The appropriate thing would have been to wait for the
medical examiner's report to be completed" and that Murray's statements
were inconsistent.
According to the attorney, his client "simply agreed with whatever they
asked because it was her belief that if she went along with them she'd
go home."
Murray is being held on $1 million bail pending trial.
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