Dad charged with homicide after 7-month-old son removed from life support; dad had tried to block removal (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)

Dad MICHAEL L. CRAMER will be charged with homicide after his 7-month-son was disconnected from life support. Dad is accused of beating the child into a coma while "playing with him" (is that sort of like delusional rapists who confuse a violent sexual assault with "making love"?). Despite all that, Dad retained his father's "right" to make medical decisions, so this poor baby has been kept on life support since February--presumably so Dad could beat a murder rap. Sickening.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/56728202.html

Homicide charge for dad after infant dies, police say
By Sharif Durhams of the Journal Sentinel
Posted: Sept. 2, 2009 11:50 a.m.

A Milwaukee father will soon be charged with homicide after officials disconnected life support for his 7-month-old son, police said Wednesday.

Michael L. Cramer, 23, was charged Feb. 21 with child abuse and accused of beating his then weeks-old son, Matthew Cramer, into a coma while playing with him.

The father still had a say in his son's medical decisions, so Matthew remained on life support at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in Wauwatosa.

Milwaukee Police Department spokeswoman Anne E. Schwartz said Matthew was taken off life support Tuesday and died. She said that prosecutors planned to amend the charge against Michael Cramer to homicide. Prosecuting attorney Kevin Shomin and the father's defense attorney Richard H. Hart could not be reached immediately for comment.

The criminal complaint in the case says Michael Cramer told police he placed Matthew on a couch while he took a shower. He said the baby was no longer breathing when he checked on him 10 to 15 minutes later.

Matthew's mother, Candace Cramer, told the Journal Sentinel in March that she was furious that Cramer retained his rights as the boy's father and had a say in the medical decisions.

"He already decided if Matthew was to live or die the day he hurt him," she said.