Facts of the Crime:
On April 22, 1997, John Michael Ward murdered his own baby Nicholas.
“On April 22, 1997, at 7:28 A.M. an operator at the Baldwin County 911 Center received a call from Michelle Milner Ward, who stated that her baby was not breathing. Ten minutes later paramedics arrived at the Wards residence, a 16' x 7' travel trailer. After receiving Nicholas Ward's body from John Michael Ward (hereinafter ‘Ward’) the paramedics attempted resuscitation by intubation while en route to the South Baldwin Regional Medical Center. The emergency room attending physician, Dr. Robert Revel, examined the infant determining that he was not breathing, had no pulse, was cold to the touch and had rigor mortis. The doctor pronounced the child dead on arrival. In addition to the lack of vital signs, Dr. Revel observed abrasions on Nicholas's scalp, nose and mouth area, pus-like material in his eyes, blood in the ears, bruises on the neck and chest, stool in the diaper, a deformity on his right arm, and crusty material in some nail beds.
“Dr. James Downs, the state medical examiner, performed the autopsy on Nicholas. He photographed and videotaped the body during the course of the autopsy. The pictures recorded the various injuries to the baby's body. From the autopsy procedure, Dr. Downs concluded that Nicholas had been an infant that failed to thrive. In addition, the child suffered multiple fractures to the arms and ribs and damage to the toenails and fingernails. He opined that Nicholas suffered a spiral fracture of the right arm the day before death. Dr. Downs determined the cause of death to be multiple blunt force injuries and suffocation.
Ward was sentenced to death in 1999.
Bookmarks