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Mom Says Baby Scalded Because She Disliked Him

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Mom Says Baby Scalded Because She Disliked Him

Mom Pleads Guilty In Connection With Son's Death

June 19, 2004

Instead of being convicted of murder, Amy Thompson was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and child endangering.

When Thompson and her husband, Gary, were arrested and charged with murder in October 2003, police said they found a journal that she kept on the couple's personal computer.

Inside the journal, Amy Thompson discussed about the two children the couple adopted from Russia and how much she disliked them.

Two of the journal entries were read in court on Friday. It was clear from the entries that the Thompsons didn't want Liam or the other girl they adopted from Russia.

"We discussed how much we would love to get rid of them like dogs at the pound, and even contacted a ranch in Montana about taking them to other homes," one entry said. Prosecutors said Amy Thompson wrote in one entry, "I just want to leave him somewhere and walk away, just be free of responsibility for this kid I don't even like. He is so slimy. He makes me ill."

Several months ago, Amy Thompson's attorney said she would plead not guilty by reason of insanity. But on Friday, it was revealed that a psychiatric evaluation found her to be competent to stand trial.

Police said the west side couple killed one of the two children whom they adopted. They alleged that Gary Thompson placed their 3-year-old son, Liam, in a bathtub where the water temperature was 140 degrees. It was so hot that it caused severe burns all over the child's body.

Instead of taking the child to the hospital, police said the couple placed him on a mattress in the basement of the home where he died five days later.

Police said Gary Thompson called 911 after he and his wife noticed that their son wasn't breathing.

"A couple of days ago, over the weekend, he ... the ... somebody had changed the knob on the water heater, and I didn't know ... and I was giving him a bath and the next thing you know ... I went downstairs and then I came back upstairs because he was screaming," the caller said. "So then I went and I saw his skin coming off. And I got him out of the bathtub right away and as I was getting him out of the bathtub, he slipped and fell and hurt his head."

When medics arrived at the home on Navion Court, they noticed that the boy had severe burns on the lower portion of his body. The couple allegedly told police the child was burned by hot bath water during the weekend and that they were treating him for his burns.

"I can tell you (Amy Thompson) is remorseful," her attorney Rick Piatt said. "Whether she said something in court today doesn't mean anything. I can tell you she is remorseful."

Judge Dale Crawford sentenced her to 14 years in prison with no chance of early release. In December 2003, Gary Thompson pleaded guilty to murder and is serving 15 years in prison. The couple has a teenage daughter and a 3-year-old son. The girl who they adopted from Russia has been placed with a local Russian family.

2004 Jun 19