The Misery Machine - The Case of Kamryn Schlitter and TJ Wright

Starting point is 00:00:00 One of the most horrific betrayals of innocence imaginable are crimes against children. However, too many times warning signs go ignored and the agencies meant to protect them do nothing in the face of clear evidence. Today we're discussing two heartbreaking tragedies that took place over 1,200 miles apart. The similarities are shocking. And while these two cases aren't directly connected, it highlights two different but critical ways we've seen CPS failed children. not taking reports of harm seriously from witnesses and not doing proper due diligence before placing a child in the home of a dangerous person. They serve as examples not only of ways CPS needs to do better, but ways in which we all need to do better and being vigilant, saying something when we see something, because if not, more innocent lives will continue to fall through the cracks.

Starting point is 00:00:50 Cameron Athena Jean Schlitter was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on September 23rd, 2008, to parent Zariah Schletter and Nicole King. She was described as a happy child with a contagious smile. After the couple ended their relationship in November of 2009, they initially shared custody of Cameron. However, Nicole soon faced financial instability after moving out of the family home. Struggling to provide for Cameron, Nicole asked, Zariah to care for her temporarily while she got back on her feet.

Starting point is 00:01:25 In February of 2010, Zariah was granted temporary custody of Cameron, giving him primary care of their daughter while Nicole's search for a permanent living situation. A short time later, Zariah began a relationship with a woman named Amy Joe Palmer, who had two children of her own. Amy harbored a sense of resentment towards Cameron from the very start, and sources close to the family later recalled how Amy had little to no patience for her. Just months after she was born, Cameron's health and behavior declined drastically under both

Starting point is 00:01:56 Zariah and Amy's care. When Cameron started daycare in early March 2010, she initially adjusted well. She played with the other children, ate well, and napped without any issue whatsoever. However, the first week that she was there, the staff noticed bruises and abrasions on her skin. When confronted about this, Zariah and Amy initially provided their own excuses, claiming that Cameron had fallen or that she was hitting herself. They kept referring to her as being a little brat. On another occasion, Amy claimed Cameron's bruises were from bumping into a bookshelf, but later said that a pack and play had fallen on her. It became evident to the daycare staff almost right away that something was wrong, that Cameron was more than likely suffering some form of violence

Starting point is 00:02:42 behind closed doors. Once energetic and full of life, Cameron eventually became withdrawn and lethargic. She would allegedly wake up screaming from nightmares. By now, she had also lost a significant amount of weight, something that daycare workers also noticed. Amy and Zariah both claimed that Cameron had been refusing to eat. It was around the same time when Zariah took camera to a clinic for Pink Eye and reported his daughter's decrease appetite in poor sleep. At the time, a nurse practitioner noted a golf ball-sized bruise on Cameron's fore. but Zerai's explanation that she hit a coffee table seemed plausible at the time. As the days went on, Cameron's injuries only seemed to worsen,

Starting point is 00:03:29 arriving at daycare with more and more bruises, now concealed by skin toner and makeup applications. Between March 6 and March 21st of 2010, Cameron continued to suffer at the hands of her caregivers. On one occasion, a daycare worker noticed that Cameron was struggling to walk. They did report the incident to child services, however, for some reason, Cameron was allowed to remain under the care of both Soraya and Amy. One afternoon, daycare staff noted that Cameron developed a fever and failed to show up for the rest of the week. In the days that followed, Cameron's suffering would finally come to an end, but at the cost of her innocent life.

Starting point is 00:04:13 On March 21st, 2010, Amy called 911, claiming that Cameron was unresponsive. Paramedics swiftly arrived on the scene only to find that the toddler was barely breathing. Cameron's head was swollen, her body was riddled with bruises that covered her entire face, arms and legs. She was immediately rushed to the hospital where doctors determined that Cameron had suffered severe head trauma, brain swelling, and additional internal injuries, all indicative of prolonged physical violence. According to Dr. Michael Delasandro, a radiologist at the University of Iowa, with Children's Hospital, Cameron's acute brain hemorrhaging and massive swelling suggested that her

Starting point is 00:04:53 injuries occurred within hours of the 911 call. The force needed to cause this injury was extreme, consistent with a child being violently shaken, slammed, or struck against a hard surface. The severity of Cameron's injuries led doctors to perform emergency surgery in an attempt to relieve the swelling in her brain. A portion of her skull was removed, but they found that the damage was just too severe. Despite this, the swelling, continued. Doctors made a final attempt to save Cameron's life by placing a drain in her skull to remove excess fluid. Unfortunately, this too failed. Cameron was then placed in a medically induced coma, her last chance at survival. A nurse who was present during one of Zariah's visits later testified

Starting point is 00:05:38 that he walked to Cameron's bedside, looked at her, and quietly said, I'm sorry. While this statement might have seemed remorseful, hospital staff noted that he showed visible emotion at seeing his daughter in a comatose state. Less than a week later and after two failed brain surgeries, 18-month-old Cameron Schlitter was tragically pronounced dead after being removed from life support on March 28, 2010. An autopsy confirmed that Cameron had suffered multiple head injuries at different times leading up to her death. The medical examiner ultimately concluded, repeated assaults led to her fatal brain injuries and ruled Cameron's death a homicide. Following their interviews with police and subsequent arrests, Amy claimed that on March 21st,

Starting point is 00:06:26 she had awoken Cameron from a nap at around 3.30 p.m. After bathing her four hours later and putting her to bed, she claimed to have retrieved Cameron's blanket and favorite toy. When she returned, Amy claimed that Cameron's eyes had somehow rolled back in her head, that her body had stiffened and she began convulsing, which according to her, when she called 911. Amy and Zariah denied ever hitting Cameron. During his police interview, Zariah admitted that he occasionally became frustrated with his daughter, but that he never once harmed her.

Starting point is 00:06:58 He went on to say that Cameron had become more clingy and irritable after recovering from an ear infection in Pink Eye leading up to her death, but once her fever broke, she returned to normal health. When asked about the day Cameron was rushed to the hospital, Zariah told investigators he was at home watching her, but that she was really willing. whining and kept following him around. He also revealed that Cameron had only slept three hours the night before. Asked about his girlfriend, Amy's potential involvement, Zariah defended her,

Starting point is 00:07:26 claiming that Amy was too nice to commit any acts of violence towards his daughter. Zeraya first told police he was unaware of Cameron's bruises, but later admitted he saw them and that he had been rough with her. While being questioned, he eventually admitted to becoming frustrated with Cameron and frequently needed to step away to cool down. He went on to make an odd comment, stating that someone making an educated guess would think he was responsible for the injuries because all the arrows are pointing to him. Still, he denied any involvement in his daughter's death. Evidence recovered from the home, however, told a much different and darker story than what either Amy or Zariah had provided to the police.

Starting point is 00:08:10 Investigators ultimately found a tissue in Amy's home with Cameron's DNA and traces of makeup on it. the same type used to cover her bruises, reinforcing the possibility of ongoing violence in the home. Months after Cameron's death, Zeraii reached out to investigators on his own accord, informing authorities that he wanted to help in the case. In his shocking admission, his story changed completely. Now acknowledging that he noticed Cameron's bruises for weeks before her death, and that he himself had been, as he put it, harsh, with Cameron at times. On Thursday, April 1st, 2010, a visitation was held at the Cedar Memorial Park

Starting point is 00:08:52 funeral home in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Family and friends gathered to grieve and share memories, attempting to find solace in the wake of this unspeakable tragedy. The following day, a private family service took place where the closest to Camerons had their final farewells at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery where she was buried. Both Zariah Schlitter and Amy Palmer were initially were initially charged with first-degree murder and child endangerment resulting in death. However, the charges for both defendants were later reduced to child endangerment and involuntary manslaughter. At Zariah's trial, Cameron's mother, Nicole, testified that Zariah had been physically

Starting point is 00:09:31 aggressive with their daughter prior to their separation. She recalled an incident where he once angrily threw blankets into Cameron's crib and cursed at her for crying. According to Nicole, this event was a major catalyst in their relationship, which led to the couple breaking up. During the month, Cameron was in Zariah's care, Nicole attempted to see her frequently. She told the court how she noticed bruises on Cameron's face between March 8th and 12th, and by March 17th, Cameron seemed withdrawn, sick, and medicated. She noticed that a plum-sized bruise had appeared on her forehead. While visiting Nicole's honor on March 19th, Cameron screamed

Starting point is 00:10:07 and pulled out her own hair, only to suddenly calm down when they were about to leave. Nicole initially believed Amy was solely responsible for the violence. However, her perspective shifted after seeing photographs of Cameron's bruises and fingernail marks on her body. Nicole testified that the fingernail marks were consistent with how Zariah would roughly pick up Cameron, and she did not believe Amy was capable of causing those specific injuries. Nicole had also revealed that Zariah had contacted her two days before the trial, asking her to talk him up and support his version of events when she testified. One of the doctors who tried to save the young girl's life also testified in court,

Starting point is 00:10:46 establishing that Cameron's brain injuries were consistent with repeated trauma, and her hair pulling was likely a reaction to stress. In addition, the prosecution called several members of Cameron's daycare staff to the stand who testified about how Zariah had dismissed concerns about Cameron's injuries, claiming that he simply hadn't noticed them. However, records showed that he had given conflicting answers on different occasions regarding how Cameron had been heard. In 2010, Zariah Schlitter was found guilty of child endangerment resulting in death

Starting point is 00:11:17 in involuntary manslaughter. He was sentenced to 50 years in prison. Upon appeal, the Iowa Supreme Court granted Zeraya Shlitter a new trial in 2016. This came as a result of alleged ineffective counsel during his initial proceedings. Ahead of his second trial, Zariah entered an Alford plea to reduce charge of child endangerment resulting in bodily injury. This type of fleet allows the defendant to maintain innocence while acknowledging that the prosecution's evidence could likely lead to a conviction. Consequently, in August of 2017, Zariah was sentenced to three years of probation and was allowed to walk free after serving just four years behind bars.

Starting point is 00:11:58 As for his girlfriend and co-defendant Amy Palmer, she was convicted of the same charges, but she would not be as lucky as he was. At her trial held in August of 2013, text messages Amy sent became crucial evidence for the state. In one, she referred to Cameron as the most obnoxious kid in the world, while others sent to coworkers stated the following, I quote, I might have killed a kid. Timothy Spouse, Amy's former boyfriend, also testified, revealing to the court that after a night of drinking in April of 2011, Amy became emotional and told Timothy that he shouldn't become too attached to her because she was likely going to be able to. going to prison for killing an 18-month-old child. On the stand, Timothy went on to say that Amy made mention of head trauma being a

Starting point is 00:12:45 contributing factor in the child's death. Aside from expressing concern that she would surely lose custody of her two surviving children, Amy remained aloof and didn't provide much more detail during her conversation with Timothy. During closing arguments, Amy's lawyers did their best to suggest reasonable doubt in this case, even when as far as blaming the toddler's mother, Nicole King. But it's important to note that Nicole was never charged with a crime. These accusations prevented by the defense resulted in an outburst with members of the King family exiting the courtroom. In the end, 29-year-old Amy Palmer was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment.

Starting point is 00:13:23 It was later sentenced to the maximum allowed in the state of Iowa, 50 years in prison without the possibility of probation. In addition, Amy was also required to pay 150,000,000. $1,000 in restitution. To some extent, justice had been served. But how Zariah was allowed to walk free after his involvement in his daughter's murder is beyond our wildest comprehension. And while no conviction or prison sentence

Starting point is 00:13:51 could bring back Cameron, there is no question that her death came as a result of the failures of all those who should have protected her, those whose job it was to make sure she was protected. Several years before and on the other side of the country in the state of Rhode Island, another innocent child, Thomas J. Wright, would endure a similarly brutal fate, one marked by unrelenting violence, systemic failure, and horrifying betrayal. September 11, 2001, is a day that will live on in infamy for many Americans, but it was also

Starting point is 00:14:27 the birthday of Thomas J. Wright, affectionately known as T.J. He was born in Lemonstrom, Massachusetts, to David and Karen Wright of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, and was one of five children. However, shortly after T.J. was born, his parents separated. Almost as soon as the little boy came into this world, patterns of violence became evident. T.J. had fallen from a second-story window on three separate occasions, yet it wasn't until the third incident that a caseworker was assigned. Several more reports were made when neighbors heard a child screams coming from inside the apartment. Despite this, no legal action came as a result. A short time later, T.J.'s mother was arrested and sent to prison to serve a two and a half

Starting point is 00:15:13 year sentence for charges related to weed. In January of 2004, D.C.Y.F. placed T.J. in the care of his aunt, 24-year-old Catherine Bennell and her boyfriend, 27-year-old Gilbert Delestri. Catherine was unemployed in a known drug user. Placing these children in the custody of Catherine and Gilbert would soon prove to be one of the worst mistakes the state of Rhode Island has ever made. On the night of October 29, 2004, Catherine and Gilbert left 3-year-old T.J. in the care of a 15-year-old babysitter named Kayla

Starting point is 00:15:48 while the two went out for drinks at a local nightclub with Gilbert's cousin. When they returned to the Walnut Hill Apartments on Diamond Hill Road and Woon's socket hours later, they found the babysitter fast asleep on the couch and a bowl of yogurt and milk spilled all over the floor. The babysitter awoke to find Catherine screaming in a fit of rage, and Gilbert went upstairs to T.J.'s room where several slaps could be heard, followed by T.J.'s cries. The babysitter then witnessed Catherine's storm upstairs, where she grabbed T.J. by his arms and began dragging him back down to the first floor, deliberately slamming her knee into his back with each step. When they reached the bottom, Catherine threw T.J. onto the floor with such force that his

Starting point is 00:16:32 face bounced off the ground. As he lay sobbing, struggling to understand why he was being hurt, Catherine continued. She repeatedly punched him in the chest, stomach and back with a closed fist. While ignoring his cries, Catherine began to shout, why did you mess up my floor? What is the matter with you? Why did you do this in the living room? But the torture didn't stop there. Catherine, ignoring T.J.'s injuries, decide to humiliate him further. She poured milk over his head and continued screaming at him, blaming him for the mess, shouting, You want to waste my milk? You want to waste my fucking milk?

Starting point is 00:17:10 At this point, Catherine turned to the babysitter and suggested that she leave. Once she did, Gilbert joined in on the attack by lifting T.J. into the air and throwing him across the room. T.J.'s body traveled several feet before landing on the floor with his legs twisted beneath him. Gilbert then picked TJ up and placed him on the steps. With his breathing becoming increasingly labored, Gilbert slapped the boy, causing him to fall down roughly six to eight steps, at which time T.J. lost consciousness. Gilbert's cousin, who was in the car at the time, eventually heard the noise and ran inside and attempted to intervene. But instead of calling for help, Catherine blocked him from trying to help the boy. Gilbert then picked up the boy's motion

Starting point is 00:17:56 body carried him back up to his room and placed him in his crib. Several minutes later, Gilbert suggested Catherine go check on him, but T.J. was barely breathing. In a panic, she dumped cold water on him in an attempt to wake him up, but T.J. still wasn't moving, and his face had turned blue. That's when Catherine finally decided to call 911, where she told the dispatcher that T.J. was sick and that they needed an ambulance. When paramedics arrived at 3.30 a.m. They found T.J. in his crib with black eyes, blood in his mouth, and vomit covering his mattress. He was rushed to landmark medical center and Moonsocket, where doctors immediately recognized the severity of his condition. He was placed on life support and later transported to Hasbro

Starting point is 00:18:57 Children's Hospital. T.J.'s left arm was broken in doctors who attempted to save his life, described his condition as looking like he'd been in a boxing match. Despite medical intervention, the extent of the little boy's injuries left Little Hope. At noon on October 31st, 2004, T.J. was removed from life support and was pronounced dead. As for the parties responsible, Catherine Bynel initially claimed ignorance telling officers that when she returned home, she simply found T.J. clinging to life. She even attempted to shift the blame onto their babysitter Kayla. She also tried to coerce T.J. siblings, who were also so present and witnessed the attack into repeating her false narrative.

Starting point is 00:19:41 Authorities immediately saw through Catherine's lives. And the babysitter was questioned, she told police how she had witnessed Catherine beating TJ as if he were a teenager. She described the brutality and chilling detail, recounting how Catherine's punches and kicks were full force and landing without mercy. The autopsy ultimately confirmed the babysitter's account. He's injuries were extensive and consistent with repeated blunt force drama, including fractures to his skull, broken ribs, as well as the fracture to his left arm.

Starting point is 00:20:11 At just three years old, 32 pounds, T.J. had been beaten to death. Following the fatal attack, Catherine and Gilbert were arrested in charge with second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. T.J.'s funeral was held on Friday, November 5th, 2004, at Brandon Funeral Home in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. The service was followed by a burial at Forest Hill Cemetery. family and community members gathered to mourn the heartbreaking loss of such a young life. During her trial, roughly four years later in May of 2008, Catherine admitted to hitting the child but attempted to shift the blame onto her boyfriend Gilbert, claiming that he alone

Starting point is 00:20:53 delivered TJ's fatal injuries. However, forensic evidence proved that Catherine had initiated the violence and Gilbert had continued it. Autopsy findings ultimately revealed that T.E. AJ had suffered a massive subdural hematoma, the result of severe blunt force trauma, causing significant swelling in his brain. The injuries to his head were extensive, including multiple bruises covering his scalp and a large, dark contusion measuring about four to six inches marred his forehead. On his cheek, four parallel bruises were present, a telltale sign of one of many forceful slaps. Deep bite marks were also discovered on T.J.'s tongue, evidence that in his final moments of suffering, the child had clenched his teeth in agony

Starting point is 00:21:40 as the result of a continued assault against him. Gilbert refused to testify in his own defense, remaining silent in court. Lack of remorse and refusal to acknowledge his role in T.J.'s murder only strengthened the prosecution's case. The most damning pieces of testimony came from Gilbert's cousin, who stated that Catherine physically prevented him from helping T.J. when the child lost consciousness. prosecution argued that this demonstrated clear intent to let the child die. Karen Wright, T.J.'s biological mother and Catherine's sister, addressed the court during

Starting point is 00:22:13 victim impact statements where she supported Catherine, insisting she was innocent that Gilbert was the sole culprit in the crime. At one point during the trial, Karen screamed from outside the courtroom stating the following, I want my baby back. I want my baby back. He killed him. He did that. He did that. In the end, the jury found Catherine Bunnell guilty of second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Catherine appealed her conviction but was denied. Months later, that October, she was sentenced to life in prison for murder and an additional 10 years for conspiracy. At Gilbert's trial, he was convicted on the same charges and also received the life sentence.

Starting point is 00:22:52 In November of 2024, 20 years after her conviction, Catherine was up for parole. But just like her appeal for a retrial, she was denied. she will be eligible for parole again in 26. Like in nearly all of the cases we cover, there were several missteps by the powers that be. Officials later admitted that they were unaware that Gilbert had previously been caught with a massive quantity of drugs during a traffic stop. In the wake of T.J's death, a state panel concluded that DCYF never should have placed the children in Catherine's custody. The agency's negligence ultimately became a key allegation in a 2018 civil lawsuit exposing widespread failures in Rhode Island's foster care system, underscoring of TJ's death could and should have been prevented.

Starting point is 00:23:36 State reforms included enhanced training for caseworkers, stricter vetting procedures for foster placements, including mandatory criminal background checks and home visits. The settlement also provided financial compensation to TJ's surviving family members. After examining these two cases, one thing is certain, and that's the fact that Cameron Schlitter and Thomas J. Wright should still be here today. Their lives were stolen by cruelty and their cries for help ignored. We owe it to them to demand change

Starting point is 00:24:06 to ensure that no child suffers as they did. Child homicide remains a deeply troubling issue here in the United States. Between 1999 and 2020, the overall child homicide rate increased annually by an average of 4.3%, with a sharp rise observed from 2019 to 2020. More times than not, family members are almost always the perpetrators.

Starting point is 00:24:32 These statistics highlight the urgent need for strategies to protect vulnerable children and address contributing factors before it is too late. Cameron and T.J. should be remembered not just as victims, but as symbols of the urgent need for reform. Their stories must not be forgotten. Both children were under the care of adults who should have nurtured and protected them. Instead, they suffered unimaginable violence at the hands of those they trusted the most.

The Misery Machine - The Case of Kamryn Schlitter and TJ Wright

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