Dad investigated for abuse a year before violent death of 1-year-old son during visitation (Danbury, Connecticut)

Dad is identified as CHRISTIAN WILLIAMS. Contrary to the fathers rights lies, many mothers like this one did try to encourage contact between the children and their fathers--even when the evidence suggested it might not be the best of ideas. The results too often are disastrous. 

http://www.newstimes.com/local/article/Dad-investigated-for-abuse-a-year-before-child-s-4872968.php

Dad investigated for abuse a year before child's death
Denis J. O'Malley
Published 10:41 pm, Saturday, October 5, 2013

DANBURY -- One week ago this evening, blue and red police lights lit up the southern end of Housman Street.

Ayden Baskay, a little boy four months shy of his second birthday, had suffered a violent death, sparking a Danbury police investigation that would lead to the arrest of his father, Christian Williams, on first-degree manslaughter charges.

When the investigators who responded to Housman Street that night took down their notes, it was not the first time they had to list little Ayden as the victim and his father as a possible suspect.

Danbury police confirmed that in May 2012 the agency investigated "an allegation of child abuse" inflicted on Ayden, at the time only 4 months old, and his father's name came up.

The state Department of Children and Families also opened an investigation into the allegations and ultimately recommended Williams not have contact with Ayden.

Danbury Police Lt. Christian Carroccio, the department's spokesman, could not provide information on the nature of any injuries Ayden suffered in the 2012 incident or how the police inquiry concluded, but he said that it is being re-investigated in light of the child's death on Sept. 29.

Last week, Williams was jailed on the charges and a funeral was held for Ayden. Authorities declined to discuss the investigation, and the Danbury state's attorney moved to seal the arrest warrant in the case. 

But neighborhood residents and others who knew Ayden, Williams and the boy's mother, Jacqueline Baskay, said they believe the child's death could have been avoided.

"When I first heard about it, I just couldn't believe it. But it was like, I don't want to say it, but it was like I told you so," said a friend of the family who spoke to The News-Times on the condition of not being identified. When Ayden was born on Jan. 22, 2012, Baskay became a mother. But on that day, Williams became a father of two who preferred his first-born child, multiple sources said.

"In his eyes, Ayden was a mistake," the friend said. "He didn't want Ayden because he was never together with Jackie. ... Of course he's going to favor the kid that he did want."

Over the next couple of months, Williams visited Ayden sporadically, and always in the presence of the child's mother, people who knew the family said. After a while, Williams gained Baskay's permission to watch Ayden on his own.

"The first time that (Ayden) went with his dad, he was probably like 5 months (old)," the friend said. 

And it was around that time, in May 2012, that Ayden became unresponsive one day while Williams and an unidentified baby sitter were responsible for him.

 Rushed first to Danbury Hospital then later to Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital, Ayden was found to have bleeding in his brain, multiple sources said.

"(Williams) initially stayed there the whole day and when he left with his girlfriend ... he never came back," a source said. "Ayden was in the hospital for a week before they sent him home."

At that point, Danbury police and the state Department of Children and Families began looking into an allegation of child abuse.

"The Department (of Children and Families) did not substantiate the allegation and the police were unable to make an arrest because of the inability to identify a single perpetrator," DCF Commissioner Joette Katz said in a statement to The News-Times.

The investigation did rule out Baskay as a suspect, leading to a safety agreement between her and DCF "to ensure (Williams) had no contact with the child," Katz said in the statement.

After securing access to day care for Ayden, DCF closed its case. The police issued no charges.

Katz said that "as in all such cases, the department will carefully review our involvement to see what may be learned to improve our work going forward."

After the May incident, Baskay held up her end of the safety agreement and refused to allow Ayden to stay with Williams, sources said.

Until about two months ago.

"She just started letting him go back with his dad, like staying with him," a source said.

At some point during a visit to his father's house on Sept. 29, Ayden suffered a head injury -- blunt force trauma resulting in subdural hemorrhaging, or, bleeding on the brain. A doctor pronounced him dead at Danbury Hospital.

An ambulance transported Williams to the hospital the following night as well, after relatives feared he might harm himself due to his erratic behavior and high level of intoxication.

Vicki Hutchinson, Williams' special public defender during his Wednesday arraignment, successfully moved in court to have William's suicide watch lifted, later explaining that the measure amounted to "an abundance of caution."

Superior Court Judge Andrew Roraback ordered Williams held with bail set at $850,000, and issued a protective order prohibiting him from contact with his older son should he post bond. He is next due in court on Oct. 16.

All through the arraignment, Baskay sat in the front row of the gallery, clutching a picture of Ayden.

At times a woman behind her braced Baskay's shoulders, one of about 50 friends and relatives who came to the courthouse to support the 21-year-old mother as she stared at the back of Williams.

"I don't know why Ayden went back to his father, but I know that he should have never went back at all," said one person who knows the family. "It's a bad, bad thing."