Julianne McCrery (42), from Irving, was sentenced to 45 years in prison for killing her 6 year old son, Camden Hughes. Back in May (18th), 2011, McCrery suffocated Camden in a New Hampshire motel room and then dumped the lifeless body along a road in Maine.
McCrery pleaded guilty to the crime in November, 2011. In her description of events, she said that she suffocated her son by kneeling on top of him while he laid face-down. She then covered his mouth with her hand as he struggled for air.
McCrery had told prosecutors that she planned on killing her self that day and that she killed Camden because no one else was fit to raise him. Prosecutors are skeptical as to her motive saying she felt her son was an inconvenience and therefore needed to die.
"I am very sorry to have caused the intense pain and suffering to my precious son Camden," she said at her sentencing hearing. "He did nothing whatsoever to deserve that by my hand, and he was not an inconvenience to me [...] My sorrow is intense and unbearable."
According to defense attorney Julia Nye, McCrery refused her suggestion of an insanity defense; instead, prefering to accept responsability for her actions.
McCrery’s son and brother, Chris Hughes, both told her during remarks to the court that they love and forgive her.
Superior Court Judge Tina Nadeau announced the 45 year sentence and said, "There’s nothing I can say here today to lessen the devastation."
McCrery's ex-boyfriend, Robert Miller, said he believes her to be mentalling disturbed, but he had no idea she was capable of such a horrible act.
“She was disturbed. I heard now that she’s on medication and her mind is clearing up. I wish that would have happened earlier, but it never did," said Miller.
Some religions point to Matthew 24:12 in their Bibles as acts like these were foretold, "And because of the abundance of evil, the love of many will grow cold."
Texas public records show that McCrery was arrested at least twice on prostitution charges and once for possession with intent to distribute drugs. In 2009, she was sentenced to one year in prison for a misdemeanor conviction of prostitution. In 2004, she was sentenced to three years of probation for a felony conviction of possession of a controlled substance.
