"Police say pair put booze in boy’s IV, factor in death" by Rik Stevens | Associated Press October 09, 2014
ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt. — A man told police he poured vodka into the intravenous feeding tube of his girlfriend’s disabled 13-year-old son to settle him down, a dose of alcohol that contributed to his death, according to court documents released Wednesday.
Walter Richters and Melissa Robitille, both 38, were charged with second-degree murder in the Aug. 22 death of Isaac Robitille. They entered not-guilty pleas at their arraignment Wednesday in Caledonia County and were ordered held without bail. Neither spoke.
"There is great evidence of guilt," said Maria Byford, deputy state's attorney.
Isaac was born with significant medical conditions and disabilities that required the assistance of caretakers for up to 80 hours a week. Feeding tubes supplied him with a strict diet of a pediatric nutritional drink, baby formula, water and vitamins. Court records show that Robitille told police that an insurance foul-up meant she was paying $800 a month for the formulas.
What shots was he given as a kid?
Should have come down to Massachusetts for better health care.
Isaac’s health conditions included a brain abnormality listed as the cause of death, with alcohol listed as a contributing factor. An autopsy showed his blood alcohol content was .146 percent, about twice the legal limit for adult drivers.
Globe passed out after that because I got a lot more print.
Richters told police in an interview Tuesday that he drank a fifth of vodka and played video games. He said he had asked Robitille if he could give Isaac a little vodka "as he was acting fussy" and she answered that it wouldn't hurt. He said he poured into the IV bag for about two seconds. Richters said he then passed out in a chair, and when he woke up the next morning, Robitille had already found Isaac dead.
Richters said he and the boy bonded when Isaac hugged him during a nap.
Robitille told police that she had drunk three or four beers the same night and initially said she gave Isaac about 3 teaspoons of vodka. She later changed her story to agree with Richters' version of events, police said. She plugged in a baby monitor because she was worried about the vodka, court records show.
The connection is clear: guns kill people and booze leads to child abuse. Time to bring back Prohibition, except booze is the rich man's drug (along with all the others). That's why it's legal.
When police asked what she would say if Isaac were there, she said: "I'm sorry baby," according to court records.
If convicted, the couple could face a sentence of 20 years to life.
On her website, Robitille describes herself as a clothing and jewelry designer, interior decorator, dog breeder and writer who has self-published two paranormal romance novels. Her husband, Dana Robitille, died in January.
My printed paper said he was 65, and call me a prude if you want but I think a 65-year-old and a 38-year old together is sick.
In December 2005, Melissa Robitille and Isaac, who had just turned 5, appeared on WCAX-TV to talk about the gift he was receiving from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a puppy named Tickle.
Isaac's going to meet so many therapy goals just chasing Tickle around and reaching out because he needs to learn how to reach out and feel the world, because he's afraid of things that could hurt him, because he can't see them," she said.
Leslie Williams, CEO of the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Vermont, said the organization hadn't had contact with the family since then.
"Make-A-Wish is always very sad when one of our wish kids passes away and we offer our condolences to Isaac's extended family and friends," she said.
He didn't just pass away. He was murdered.
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