Dad pleads guilty to killing newborn son for crying (Mount Holly, New Jersey)

Dad ERIK D. GRIFFIN smothered and killed his newborn son for crying, then fled the scene, thus abandoning a 16-month-old girl (his daughter?), who was also in his "care." That dead infant was found by the grandmother. No mention of the mother at all. Makes me wonder if this was a visitation case and/or a case where Mom had to work (with no maternity leave to speak of). 

INVISIBLE MOTHER ALERT

 http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/crime/burlington-city-father-pleads-guilty-to-manslaughter-in-death-of/article_1f78d3ac-6dcd-53d7-a571-bb2aa32fe12b.html

Burlington City father pleads guilty to manslaughter in death of newborn son

Posted: Wednesday, January 4, 2012 5:45 am | Updated: 6:35 am, Wed Jan 4, 2012.

By Danielle Camilli Staff writer Calkins Media, Inc.

MOUNT HOLLY — A Burlington City man admitted in Superior Court on Tuesday that he smothered his newborn son when the child would not stop crying.

Erik D. Griffin, 26, formerly of the 400 block of St. Mary Street, pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter in the death of Nyir Griffin on Nov. 11, 2010, Burlington County Prosecutor Robert D. Bernardi said.

The child was 4 weeks old.

Superior Court Judge Michael J. Haas accepted the plea and a negotiated deal that calls for Griffin to receive a 12-year state prison term when sentenced Feb. 17.

Griffin, who had no previous criminal record, has been held in the Burlington County Jail since Nov. 13, 2010, when he was charged with murder and endangering the welfare of a child.

Griffin admitted that he smothered his 9-pound son with a pillow when he could not calm the crying child, according to the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office.

He admitted to placing his child on a bed, holding the pillow down, and removing it when the baby stopped making noise, according to authorities.

Griffin then panicked and fled the house to Philadelphia.

At the time of the homicide, authorities said that a second child, a 16-month-old girl, also was in Griffin’s care and that he left her in the house with the baby.

The baby was found unresponsive by his maternal grandmother, who tried to revive him, according to prosecutors.

The baby was pronounced dead at Lourdes Medical Center of Burlington County in Willingboro.

The family had no case history with the New Jersey Department of Children and Families at the time of the incident.