Two Charged in Connecticut Baby's Death

HAMDEN, Conn. (1010 WINS/AP)  -- Two family friends accused of depriving a toddler of fluid for at least a week as punishment for bed wetting appeared in court Wednesday to face charges in his death.

Police said 23-month-old Amari Jackson died of dehydration while Sharon Patterson and her brother Robert Patterson were caring for him in February. His death was ruled a homicide.

Investigators said glasses around the house were laced with hot sauce to keep the boy from drinking.

Sharon Patterson, 39, was charged with manslaughter, cruelty to persons and risk of injury to a minor. Robert Patterson, 31, was charged with cruelty to persons and risk of injury to a minor.

The pair did not enter pleas during their brief appearance in Meriden Superior Court. Judge Arthur Hadden increased Sharon Patterson's bond from $250,000 to $500,000, calling the allegations ``shocking in nature.'' He left Robert Patterson's bond at $150,000.

Sharon Patterson plans to plead not guilty to the charges, said Christine Janis, a public defender who represented her for Wednesday's appearance.

``I just think she's got a sad history and it's just a whole tragic incident,'' Janis said.

A telephone message was left for David Smith, a public defender representing Robert Patterson.

Amari's mother, Sara Hicks, said the longtime friends offered to care for her son for about a week because she was sick with a fever and caring for her 8-month-old daughter.

Hicks said she spoke with Amari on the phone frequently and twice dropped off diapers at the house. She said the Pattersons never indicated he was wetting the bed or that there were any problems.

``It's inhumane, it's cruel,'' said Hicks, 20, who wore a button reading, ``Forever in Our Hearts'' and a T-shirt with her son's picture. ``To do something like that to a defenseless toddler, you really must be crazy.''

Sharon Patterson told police she had been smoking marijuana and drinking Smirnoff Ice the day before Amari died, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. She also told them she had previously lost custody of four children because of drug addiction. Attorneys said in court Wednesday that she has mental health issues.

Hicks said she still cannot make sense of her son's death but was pleased police had charged the Pattersons. She said she hopes they get life sentences.

``It took every inch of my body to stay in my seat,'' she said after watching them appear in court. ``I'm still shaking.''

Police said the Pattersons were caring for Amari and he was being punished for urinating in bed. Investigators said they learned that glasses around the house were laced with hot sauce to teach him a lesson about drinking from other people's glasses.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Sharon Patterson ``was also frustrated with Amari's mother, Sara Hicks, for not coming by and checking on Amari or bringing him any clothes or food. She was planning on depriving Amari Jackson of liquids for a week and didn't realize that Amari could get sick by dehydration.''

Hicks said she has been friends with Sharon Patterson's daughter since they were 8 and noted that Patterson also cared for her daughter's child, so she had no reason for concern. She said she was not aware that Sharon Patterson had mental health issues and said other children at her home were not harmed.

Hicks said she spoke with Amari on the phone frequently and twice dropped off diapers at the house. She said the Pattersons never indicated he was wetting the bed or that there were any problems. She described her son as a well-mannered, intelligent child.

Hicks said she saw her son playing with other children and watching television in the apartment and he appeared fine. She said Sharon Patterson didn't want Amari to see his mother because he would cry, so she should just drop off items for him.

Hicks said she spoke with Amari the day before he died. Sharon Patterson told her he was groggy because he had been sleeping, she said.

Amari was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital, where medical records indicate that he ``appeared wasted and had temporal wasting and sunken eyes.''

At the beginning of his stay with the Pattersons, Robert Patterson told police, Amari was crying for his mother.

``Towards the end of his stay Amari was crying for something to drink,'' according to the arrest warrant affidavit.

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