exposing the dark side of adoption
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James W. Bader (Jimmy Jones)

public
1974 Aug 1

In August of 1974 Sparks Police were called to Saint Mary’s Hospital on a report of a 3 year old dying from injuries sustained during a fall. An investigation at the time concluded that there was no foul play involving the death of the child, James "J.W." Bader.

31-years later Sparks Police Detectives received a phone call from J.W.'s older sister, Julie Dunn, saying he had been abused by his adoptive mother Catherine Bader. Father Larry Bader (dec'd) was not implicated or charged. Dunn, who was a teen at the time, said she witnessed her mother repeatedly kick and punch the developmentally disabled boy in the stomach, including the day he died, that she slammed toilet seats on his genitals, held his hands in boiling water, held his head underwater in the bathtub and rammed his head into a backyard post. The 1974 case was reopened in 2006 and investigated by detectives. Through forensic evidence it was determined that James Bader had been beaten until his intestines burst.

Catherine was remarried and known as Catherine Wyman or Catherine Bader-Wyman


Documents

Title Publication date
NV Supreme Court reverses woman's conviction 2009 Oct 8
Judge reverses his decision to allow Bader's lawyers access to records of witness 2007 Sep 13
Judge grants query to look into witness' health records 2007 Sep 6
Woman sentenced to 15 years in murder of adopted son 2007 Aug 16
Wyman Sentenced to 15 Years for Beating Death of Son 2007 Aug 15
Ex-Sparks Woman Won't Get New Trial In 1974 Death 2007 Jul 28
Mother won't receive new trial for son's death 2007 Jul 28
Former Sparks Mother Testifies About Adopted Son’s Death 2007 Jul 4
Guilty verdict delivered in 1974 murder case 2007 Jun 30
Jury begins deliberating today in 1974 death of toddler 2007 Jun 29
Woman denies abusing adoptive son in murder trial 2007 Jun 28
Witness: Bader's son died of child abuse 2007 Jun 27
Daughter of suspect in boy's '74 death testifies 2007 Jun 26
Ex-coroner says child abuse inquiries more complete now 2007 Jun 22
Nurse testifies in toddler's death 33 years later 2007 Jun 21
Woman on Trial in Washoe County For 1974 Murder of Adopted Son 2007 Jun 21
Trial begins in 1974 murder case 2007 Jun 20
Former Sparks woman goes on trial in adopted son's 1974 death 2007 Jun 17
Former Sparks Woman Goes on Trial in Adopted Son's 1974 Death 2007 Jun 17
Mother claims innocence in '74 adopted son's death 2007 Jun 17
Nurse testifies in decades old child death 2006 Jul 1
Mother indicted on 1974 murder charge 2006 Jun 29
Indictment in '74 Child Murder 2006 Jun 29
Woman accused of murder to face grand jury proceedings 2006 Jun 24
Lawyer challenges pathologist's credibility 2006 Jun 23
Mother returns to face 1974 murder charge 2006 Jun 22
New Twist in Sparks Cold Case Murder 2006 Jun 7
Police suspect abuse caused '74 child death 2006 Jun 3
Sparks Cold Case Solved 2006 Jun 1