MONROE -- Casey Shelton told Green County Sheriff's Department detectives he panicked when his 2-month-old son began to choke and vomit, and appeared shocked when they told him the baby died because of bleeding in the brain.
Shelton, 32, is accused of killing his son, Christopher, on Feb. 28, 2007. The Brodhead man is charged with first-degree reckless homicide, a class B felony, and faces up to 60 years in prison if convicted. The second day of his trial Tuesday in Green County Circuit Court included audio- and video-taped interviews with Shelton and Christopher's mother, Amy Uptegraw.
Court records indicate Shelton called 911 on Feb. 28, 2007, and told them he needed an ambulance at his residence in Decatur township because his baby stopped breathing. Shelton told emergency responders the baby began to choke as he fed him.
Christopher was pronounced dead at Mercy Hospital in Janesville.
Green County Sheriff's Department Detective Terry Argue told the jury Tuesday he became suspicious of Christopher's death when he attended the autopsy in Madison.
"I saw large amounts of bleeding on the top of the brain," Argue said. "The baby also had rib injuries."
Argue, who said he has attended more than 100 autopsies in his 36 years with the Green County Sheriff's Department, said the injuries were not typical of a choking victim.
Shelton and Uptegraw were interviewed by Argue at Mercy Hospital in Janesville, a few hours after Christopher died. They also were interviewed later that day at the sheriff's department. They were interviewed separately both times.
Both said Christopher hadn't fallen or been injured in any way in the day preceding his death, and neither blamed the other for a head injury which led to the baby's death.
Shelton told Argue and Green County Sheriff¹s Department Detective Kevin Bohren on March 1 that Christopher started choking when he was fed his bottle at about 6 p.m. Feb. 28.
He said the baby couldn't breathe and began to vomit. Shelton described how he turned Christopher on his side to try to get him to breathe and pressed on his chest to force the formula from the baby's mouth.
"God, no. What else can I do?" Shelton said he remembered thinking as he tried help his son.
During the interview at the sheriff's department, Shelton told the detectives he didn't know how there could have been blood on the baby's brain, but said he didn't do anything to hurt the baby.
"I didn't mistreat my children," Shelton told them.
Uptegraw told detectives she didn't know how the injuries were suffered, and told them Shelton was a a good father.
"He surprised me (as a dad) in a good way," she said. "I know Casey didn't do anything to him."
Uptegraw said Shelton would have told her if he did anything to the baby.
"He doesn't lie or sugar-coat anything," she said.
When asked about allegations of abuse investigated earlier in February by Green County Human Services, Shelton and Uptegraw said the charges were made by Uptegraw's mother or a friend, neither of whom liked Shelton, they said.
Uptegraw said the charges were made up by her son, Bryce, and said her mother, Cindy, believed the boy.
"I think it's bull crap," she told the detectives.
Argued testified Tuesday morning that Shelton told him Christopher vomited through his nose and mouth. However, Argue said he didn't see any vomit on the carpet of the Decatur township apartment Shelton and Uptegraw shared with their two sons.
Argue said Shelton told him the baby vomited on a towel and showed him two towels in the washing machine that already had been washed.
"I became suspicious," Argue said.
Shelton's week-long trial continues Wednesday.
Shelton also faces charges in connection to injuries suffered by Christopher's twin brother, Charles. A three-day trial for those charges is scheduled to begin Feb. 4.
He is charged with two counts of child abuse, one a class G felony and the other a class H felony. He faces up to 16 years in prison and up to $25,000, if convicted.
Shelton, 32, is accused of killing his son, Christopher, on Feb. 28, 2007. The Brodhead man is charged with first-degree reckless homicide, a class B felony, and faces up to 60 years in prison if convicted. The second day of his trial Tuesday in Green County Circuit Court included audio- and video-taped interviews with Shelton and Christopher's mother, Amy Uptegraw.
Court records indicate Shelton called 911 on Feb. 28, 2007, and told them he needed an ambulance at his residence in Decatur township because his baby stopped breathing. Shelton told emergency responders the baby began to choke as he fed him.
Christopher was pronounced dead at Mercy Hospital in Janesville.
Green County Sheriff's Department Detective Terry Argue told the jury Tuesday he became suspicious of Christopher's death when he attended the autopsy in Madison.
"I saw large amounts of bleeding on the top of the brain," Argue said. "The baby also had rib injuries."
Argue, who said he has attended more than 100 autopsies in his 36 years with the Green County Sheriff's Department, said the injuries were not typical of a choking victim.
Shelton and Uptegraw were interviewed by Argue at Mercy Hospital in Janesville, a few hours after Christopher died. They also were interviewed later that day at the sheriff's department. They were interviewed separately both times.
Both said Christopher hadn't fallen or been injured in any way in the day preceding his death, and neither blamed the other for a head injury which led to the baby's death.
Shelton told Argue and Green County Sheriff¹s Department Detective Kevin Bohren on March 1 that Christopher started choking when he was fed his bottle at about 6 p.m. Feb. 28.
He said the baby couldn't breathe and began to vomit. Shelton described how he turned Christopher on his side to try to get him to breathe and pressed on his chest to force the formula from the baby's mouth.
"God, no. What else can I do?" Shelton said he remembered thinking as he tried help his son.
During the interview at the sheriff's department, Shelton told the detectives he didn't know how there could have been blood on the baby's brain, but said he didn't do anything to hurt the baby.
"I didn't mistreat my children," Shelton told them.
Uptegraw told detectives she didn't know how the injuries were suffered, and told them Shelton was a a good father.
"He surprised me (as a dad) in a good way," she said. "I know Casey didn't do anything to him."
Uptegraw said Shelton would have told her if he did anything to the baby.
"He doesn't lie or sugar-coat anything," she said.
When asked about allegations of abuse investigated earlier in February by Green County Human Services, Shelton and Uptegraw said the charges were made by Uptegraw's mother or a friend, neither of whom liked Shelton, they said.
Uptegraw said the charges were made up by her son, Bryce, and said her mother, Cindy, believed the boy.
"I think it's bull crap," she told the detectives.
Argued testified Tuesday morning that Shelton told him Christopher vomited through his nose and mouth. However, Argue said he didn't see any vomit on the carpet of the Decatur township apartment Shelton and Uptegraw shared with their two sons.
Argue said Shelton told him the baby vomited on a towel and showed him two towels in the washing machine that already had been washed.
"I became suspicious," Argue said.
Shelton's week-long trial continues Wednesday.
Shelton also faces charges in connection to injuries suffered by Christopher's twin brother, Charles. A three-day trial for those charges is scheduled to begin Feb. 4.
He is charged with two counts of child abuse, one a class G felony and the other a class H felony. He faces up to 16 years in prison and up to $25,000, if convicted.