Neighbors react to boy's death, charges against parents

By TED CZECH

Daily Record

The house on Blair Mountain Road in Carroll Township is a two-floor rancher painted baby-blue, with a basketball hoop in the front yard and a swing set out back.

But on Saturday, there were no children playing. No one was home.

Nanette L. Craver, 54, and Michael J. Craver, 45, who lived there, are in York County Prison, charged with homicide in connection with the Aug. 24 death of their 7-year-old son, Nathaniel M. Craver, according to charging documents.

Nathaniel's twin sister was taken from the home and is now safe, York County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Tim Barker said.

Carroll Township Police say an autopsy report on Nathaniel indicated he had close to 80 external injuries, 20 of them to his head. Police allege the Cravers did not seek medical attention for Nathaniel's injuries.

Darlene Basehore, who lives with husband Tom on Blair Mountain Road, said that when she heard of the Cravers' arrest, she remembered talking with Nanette Craver and then thought, "Is it true, or is it not true?"

About two years ago, the Basehores met the Cravers at a church function in Dillsburg and made "small talk," Tom Basehore said.

Darlene Basehore said Nanette Craver complained about her children's day care center, saying the staff didn't understand her son's condition, which Craver said caused him to throw his body uncontrollably.

Sometime later, Darlene had a chance meeting with Nanette Craver at a department store.

Nanette Craver said her children's school district was "after her," Darlene Basehore said.

"She was going to take her kids out of the school system," she said. "She thought the school wasn't helping."

Tom Basehore called the Cravers "nice people" who "kept to themselves . . . I can't say that I've ever seen them outside."

Ginger Rahn, who also lives on Blair Mountain Road, said Saturday she didn't know the Cravers personally.

"I knew there were people who lived down there, but I didn't know them," she said.

Still, hearing of Nathaniel's death was both disheartening and shocking.

"Anytime you see anything of that nature, involving innocent children, I think it's very sad," she said. "They're babies, they haven't had a chance at life."