Six-month old Rowan Richardson is dead and Randy Richardson did it on purpose

[thehesbomb]

An Eden Prairie, Minn. father faces first-degree murder charges in the death of his 6-month-old son.

According to the Hennepin County Attorney's Office, 36-year-old Randy Richardson admitted to police officers that he had killed his son by submerging the child in a laundry tub filled with cold water and holding him down while he struggled.

"I did this on purpose," he told officers, after they had read him his Miranda rights.

Officers arrived at the home on the 17000 block of Evenston Road last Saturday, after receiving a call of a child not breathing.

They found the 6-month-old Rowan Richardson cold to the touch. Fire personnel performing CPR observed amounts of clear fluid coming back out of the child as they administered blows to his back.

All the while, his wife was hysterical and screaming, "He killed my baby!" She had been out grocery shopping earlier, and that's when, according to police, Randy Richardson proceeded to drown his son in the basement laundry tub.

Friends and neighbors said Randy Richardson has been suffering from depression and had been on medical leave from his job at Cargill since May.

The family has other children, who had spent the past month with Randy Richardson's parents out of state, neighbors said. The older children were scheduled to come back home on Sunday, which is when the children and Randy Richardson's parents found out what had happened.

Randy Richardson has been charged with felony first-degree murder, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. He is being held on $2 million bail.

http://wcco.com/crime/man.arrested.murder.2.1840470.html

Kari Richardson told FOX 9's Scott Wasserman she arrived at the Eden Prairie home shortly before the 911 call was made and found Rowan unresponsive. She said her husband has struggled with a debilitating mental illness for several months.

“This came on so sudden,â€￾ Richardson said. “He had no history of mental illness.â€￾

Randel Eudean Richardson, 36, is behind bars and facing murder charges in the death of his infant son. Police said Kari and Randel Richardson were both at home when they responded to a 911 hang-up call Saturday around 5:30 p.m.

Paramedics tried to revive 6-month-old Rowan Richardson, who was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center where he later died.

“He would never hurt anyone if he was in his right mind,â€￾ Kari said Sunday in a phone interview. She told FOX 9 her husband is on a waiting list to see a local psychologist.
“My husband is a good person and a good man," she said. "His mental illness has taken him away from me.â€￾

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news/minnesota/rowan-richardson-death-laundry-wash-tub-aug-2-2010

 

[Valasca]

“This came on so sudden,” Richardson said. “He had no history of mental illness.”

At least, none that anybody SAW or was willing to see.

 

[thehesbomb]

Baby Rowan:

 

[Valasca]

Oh, little Rowan. I'm so sorry your daddy was crazy.
Look at how beautiful.

 

[badfish76]

This hurts my heart!

I wonder why they hung up on 911? Perhaps she was going to cover up for him? Glad that didn't happen, but damn this is so sad.

 

[LadyCygnet]

She said her husband has struggled with a debilitating mental illness for several months.

If that is the case, why did she leave him alone with the baby when she went grocery shopping? Were the older children staying with their grandparents for a month just for fun? Was he getting treated for his "debilitating mental illness?"

RIP, beautiful Rowan. You deserved much better.

 

[Parrot Toes]

.....She said her husband has struggled with a debilitating mental illness for several months......

He should try my mental illness(es)! Though, I don't kill my children or even beat them! Fuck him and depression! That is just not an excuse! Unless he has some type of hardcore schizophrenia, Fuck him for whatever other mental illness he has! I struggle so hard, always have, to maintain a quality of life for myself where I am somewhat happy every God-damned day, and pieces of shit like this can't just kill himself instead of a child when down. Fuck him, fuck him, f.u.c.k. h.i.m!

 

[Darsa]

Holy crap... I can't BELIEVE that the mommy is DEFENDING him! What the hell; if I were her I'd be at the head of the lynch-mob, swinging the noose and shrieking battle-cries! Wow, this one just blows my mind. But lookit that mug, check those EXTREMELY close-together eyes. I see that a lot here... :dong:

 

[Dakota]

Lawyers for an Eden Prairie man accused of drowning his infant son in a laundry tub served notice Tuesday of their intent to use an insanity defense, based on a newly released court psychologist's opinion that Randel Richardson was mentally ill when baby Rowan Richardson was killed last July.

While the full report is confidential, Richardson agreed to allow Hennepin County District Court Judge Mark Wernick to release the conclusion of Lawrence Panciera's report. Wernick said Panciera determined that at the time of the crime, Richardson did not know what he was doing or whether it was wrong - the standard for mental illness.

At a hearing Tuesday, Richardson, wearing an orange jail jumpsuit, sat quietly beside his lawyers, Anthony Edwards and retired Judge Isabel Gomez. Richardson's wife and other supporters sat directly behind him in the front row.

The stakes are huge for Richardson. If convicted of first-degree murder, he could spend the rest of his life in prison. If found mentally ill, he could instead spend years receiving intensive medical treatment but ultimately be released.

The psychologist's finding means the defense must turn over all medical records to prosecutors. Edwards said, "We have no problem doing that. We think the evidence is quite clear that he was completely out of it."

Assistant County Attorney Deborah Russell can ask for a second opinion. An agreement on a plea deal to avoid a trial also is an option. "We don't know what we're doing yet," Russell said as she left the courtroom.

If Richardson goes to trial, it would come in two parts: the first to determine guilt or innocence of first-degree murder; the second to determine whether he was mentally ill under Minnesota law.

Edwards wouldn't discuss the details of Panciera's report, but he has said Richardson suffered severe depression with psychotic breaks. In the three months leading up to the drowning, Richardson had been on medical leave from his job of 13 years at Cargill, Edwards said.
[...]

While Richardson is doing much better in jail with medical attention, along with that has come the full realization of what has happened, Edwards aid.. That his family stands behind him "is a testament to the caliber of person he is," Edwards said.

http://www.startribune.com/local/112552404.html

 

[walkingeagle]

“This came on so sudden,” Richardson said. “He had no history of mental illness.”

Friends and neighbors said Randy Richardson has been suffering from depression and had been on medical leave from his job at Cargill since May.

Someone has surely been contradicted here!

 

[Valasca]

Bullshit. He knew what he was doing. I hope they drop this insanity defense bullshit.

 

[Whisper]

Dad Who Drowned Son Cleared for Release after Treatment
Randel Richardson found mentally ill after crime

MINNEAPOLIS - A judge has cleared the way for the eventual release of an Eden Prairie man who drowned his infant son in a laundry tub.

Judge Jay Quam on Wednesday ordered that 38-year-old Randel Richardson not be committed indefinitely as mentally ill and dangerous.

Quam denied the Hennepin County Attorney's request that Richardson remain at the Minnesota Security Hospital in St. Peter.

Instead, the Star Tribune reported that the judge ordered Richardson to receive intensive treatment before an eventual return to society. [...]
Richardson was found mentally ill when he drowned his 6-month-old son, Rowan, in the basement of the family home nearly two years ago.

Richardson testified last month that he is not dangerous and is willing to undergo intensive treatment.

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/...eared-for-release-after-treatment-mar-28-2012

 

[Sugar Cookie]

Rowan Isaac