By Daily Mail Reporter
19th May 2011
Julianne McCrery, of Irving, Texas, allegedly told a female trooper: ‘I killed my son. I want to kill myself’ - after six-year-old Camden Pierce Hughes was found dead in Maine.
She is believed to have told police she accidentally gave him too much cough syrup, reported ABC. A telephone tip led authorities to the woman at a highway rest stop in Chelmsford, Massachusetts.
McCrery was taken to hospital for a medical evaluation and she is being questioned by authorities. A source said she was in a vehicle reading a Bible when arrested. She will be arraigned on Thursday.
She was charged with second-degree murder and being a fugitive from justice, according to the Boston Globe. Her son's body was found in Maine near the state line with New Hampshire.
But she was charged in New Hampshire because police believe the boy died in Hampton, where a state police command post was set up outside a motel on Wednesday.
Preliminary autopsy findings showed that the cause of Camden's death was suffocation and the manner of death was homicide. The homicide remains under investigation.
A man called investigators after recognising the boy from a computer-generated photo of the child that had been released by police.
'Julie's a good person,' said Christian von Atzigen. 'If you would ever ask me if she would harm a hair on that precious little boy's head, I would say never. She loves that boy.'
The woman has been revealed as a former school bus driver and cement mixer, who once wrote a book about how to fall asleep, called: 'Goodnight, Sleep Tight'.
But she was also a troubled woman who battled mental illness and substance abuse and had tried to kill herself, relatives told the Boston Globe.
McCrery does not know who is Camden's father.'I'm the only daddy (Camden) has ever had,' Mr Miller told the Boston Globe. 'Her and I and (Camden) had a very strong faith in Christ. That's why I know he's in a better place and I'm glad he's there.'
Mr Miller believed McCrery was still in Texas as she did not say anything to him about being away or reveal anything was wrong when they last spoke on Tuesday.
He said both mother and son had been coughing lately and were very ill - while she sounded sick on the phone.
Mr Miller told the Boston Globe that McCrery's older son is a 23-year-old chef in the U.S. Navy, stationed on the USS Oak Hill in Norfolk, Virginia.
McCrery's mother, LuRae McCrery of Curtis, Nebraska, had also spoken with her daughter as recently as Tuesday - and also thought nothing was wrong.
'We've been talking every day,' she told the Boston Globe. 'I have no idea why she went to Maine. I don't think she knew anyone in that part of the country. I don't have a clue.'
She also said her daughter had lost her job delivering car parts around a month ago - but kept it private and 'got to the end of her rope'.
'Juli and Cam were so close,' she told the Boston Globe. 'Her whole life was raising her son. That's why I just can't make sense of this.'
She confirmed to Boston 7 News WHDH that McCrery was arrested in 2003 and 2004 at least four times and convicted on charges of prostitution and drugs - before Camden was born.
Massachusetts police would not identify the woman or the boy and referred reporters to the New Hampshire state attorney - but declined to say why they were not in charge of the investigation.
It has also now emerged that an eyewitness spotted the woman driving a blue Navy insignia-embossed Toyota Tacoma pick-up truck near where the boy was found.
Police have towed away a truck matching the description found in Chelmsford. NCIS investigators are going to military installations and naval reserve centres in the region.
The child's body was discovered fully clothed with a grey-coloured camouflage hooded sweatshirt and navy blue t-shirt with 'Aviator Series' on the front.
He was 3ft 8ins tall, weighing 45lbs and police said he was 'not undernourished'.
Officers in Maine say they were amazed no-one reported the child missing and appealed for information.
The boy still had his baby teeth and dirty blond hair, as well as distinctive 'Lightning McQueen' black trainers inspired by the Pixar film 'Cars'.
Investigators say if the boy belonged to a transient, military family, he was less likely to be known to neighbours, which could explain why he has not been reported missing.
They have fielded more than 200 tips since the body was found and were conducting DNA tests on the boy's body in the event this could track down family members.
'There's really no explanation for this ... how nobody can report this child is missing. To me, it's unthinkable,' Maine State Police Lieutenant Brian McDonough said.
'He was clean. His fingernails seemed clean and appropriate. He was a small kid, but I don't think he was under-nourished.
'He's a very cute boy, and again, he was clothed well. The sneakers are virtually brand-new on him.'
There have been no recent missing-person reports filed for a young boy and police are treating the case as suspicious although the cause of death hasn't been released.
Officers released a computer-generated photo of the boy and have been in contact with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Police refused to confirm how long the body may have been by the road or whether there were visible signs of trauma.
Authorities are also taking mitochondrial DNA from the body in the hope that they can scan it through databases of convicted criminals and make family matches.
Investigators believe the boy was placed alongside a dirt road nine to 10 hours before the body was discovered around 5pm on Saturday.
The wooded location where the body was found wrapped in a blanket is now a memorial, with flowers, teddy bears and other items left as a remembrance to the boy.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1388324/Julianne-McCrery-confesses-killing-son-Camden-Pierce-Hughes.html#ixzz1MnzWcvhe
Julianne McCrery, of Irving, Texas, allegedly told a female trooper: ‘I killed my son. I want to kill myself’ - after six-year-old Camden Pierce Hughes was found dead in Maine.
She is believed to have told police she accidentally gave him too much cough syrup, reported ABC. A telephone tip led authorities to the woman at a highway rest stop in Chelmsford, Massachusetts.
Mugshot: Julianne McCrery, left (in a 2005 mugshot), of Texas, allegedly told an officer: ‘I killed my son. I want to kill myself’ - after Camden Pierce Hughes, six, right (computer generated image), was found dead in Maine
She was charged with second-degree murder and being a fugitive from justice, according to the Boston Globe. Her son's body was found in Maine near the state line with New Hampshire.
But she was charged in New Hampshire because police believe the boy died in Hampton, where a state police command post was set up outside a motel on Wednesday.
Preliminary autopsy findings showed that the cause of Camden's death was suffocation and the manner of death was homicide. The homicide remains under investigation.
A man called investigators after recognising the boy from a computer-generated photo of the child that had been released by police.
'Julie's a good person,' said Christian von Atzigen. 'If you would ever ask me if she would harm a hair on that precious little boy's head, I would say never. She loves that boy.'
Together: McCrery is pictured with Camden, whose body was found along a road in Maine
Transferred: McCrery is wheeled out on a stretcher to be evaluated by medical staff
But she was also a troubled woman who battled mental illness and substance abuse and had tried to kill herself, relatives told the Boston Globe.
McCrery's ex-boyfriend Robert Miller, 49, said she and Camden moved in with him about two years ago - but she would often leave for short periods because they regularly argued.
Mr Miller told WCVB he never thought she would hurt the child. 'She loved him dearly,' he said. 'He was a very nice little boy. He was real smart.'McCrery does not know who is Camden's father.
Mr Miller believed McCrery was still in Texas as she did not say anything to him about being away or reveal anything was wrong when they last spoke on Tuesday.
He said both mother and son had been coughing lately and were very ill - while she sounded sick on the phone.
Mr Miller told the Boston Globe that McCrery's older son is a 23-year-old chef in the U.S. Navy, stationed on the USS Oak Hill in Norfolk, Virginia.
McCrery's mother, LuRae McCrery of Curtis, Nebraska, had also spoken with her daughter as recently as Tuesday - and also thought nothing was wrong.
'We've been talking every day,' she told the Boston Globe. 'I have no idea why she went to Maine. I don't think she knew anyone in that part of the country. I don't have a clue.'
Interviewed: McCrery's ex-boyfriend Robert Miller said she and Camden moved in with him about two years ago
Tragic death: Camden Pierce Hughes was found dead on Saturday afternoon along a dirt road
'Juli and Cam were so close,' she told the Boston Globe. 'Her whole life was raising her son. That's why I just can't make sense of this.'
She confirmed to Boston 7 News WHDH that McCrery was arrested in 2003 and 2004 at least four times and convicted on charges of prostitution and drugs - before Camden was born.
Massachusetts police would not identify the woman or the boy and referred reporters to the New Hampshire state attorney - but declined to say why they were not in charge of the investigation.
Map: This picture shows Irving in Texas and South Berwick in Maine, where McCrery seems to have travelled to
Police have towed away a truck matching the description found in Chelmsford. NCIS investigators are going to military installations and naval reserve centres in the region.
The child's body was discovered fully clothed with a grey-coloured camouflage hooded sweatshirt and navy blue t-shirt with 'Aviator Series' on the front.
He was 3ft 8ins tall, weighing 45lbs and police said he was 'not undernourished'.
Officers in Maine say they were amazed no-one reported the child missing and appealed for information.
Vehicle: A Toyota pick-up truck is towed from in a rest area along the I-495 in Chelmsford, Massachusetts
'God bless this little boy': A memorial site is seen near the spot where the young boy's body was found last Saturday
The boy still had his baby teeth and dirty blond hair, as well as distinctive 'Lightning McQueen' black trainers inspired by the Pixar film 'Cars'.
Investigators say if the boy belonged to a transient, military family, he was less likely to be known to neighbours, which could explain why he has not been reported missing.
They have fielded more than 200 tips since the body was found and were conducting DNA tests on the boy's body in the event this could track down family members.
'There's really no explanation for this ... how nobody can report this child is missing. To me, it's unthinkable,' Maine State Police Lieutenant Brian McDonough said.
Back of beyond: The body was discovered on a remote road near South Berwick, Maine
Distinctive: Police hope the boy's 'Cars' themed Lightning McQueen trainers will trigger a witness's memory
Investigation: Maine State Police Lieutenant Brian McDonough said police are investigating over 200 tips on the child's disappearance
There have been no recent missing-person reports filed for a young boy and police are treating the case as suspicious although the cause of death hasn't been released.
Officers released a computer-generated photo of the boy and have been in contact with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Police refused to confirm how long the body may have been by the road or whether there were visible signs of trauma.
Authorities are also taking mitochondrial DNA from the body in the hope that they can scan it through databases of convicted criminals and make family matches.
Investigators believe the boy was placed alongside a dirt road nine to 10 hours before the body was discovered around 5pm on Saturday.
The wooded location where the body was found wrapped in a blanket is now a memorial, with flowers, teddy bears and other items left as a remembrance to the boy.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1388324/Julianne-McCrery-confesses-killing-son-Camden-Pierce-Hughes.html#ixzz1MnzWcvhe
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