CANON CITY, Colo. (KRDO) — Charges including murder against a Fremont County baby killer suspect have been dropped following what a judge said was “outrageous government conduct” by 11th Judicial District District Attorney Linda Stanley.
On May 21, detectives responded to a Motel 6 in Cañon City searching for an unresponsive 10-month-old boy, Edward Hayes. When police arrived on the scene, the baby's last known caregiver was 21-year-old William Jacobs. At the time, Jacobs was living with the baby's mother, Brooke Crawford, and was caring for Hayes while Crawford was at work.
During an interview with detectives, according to the affidavit, Jacobs admitted to biting Hayes on the arm a few days earlier while playing with him and slamming his head against a door frame in an attempt to make him vomit. He also said he trained Hayes the same way he trains his own dogs, “demonstrating throwing a dog, but using a toddler-sized doll to demonstrate light throwing.” [Hayes] On the bed.”
Jacobs was initially charged with child abuse, but the charge was upgraded to first-degree murder after Hayes died a few days later.
Fremont County Judge Caitlin Turner, who previously sought sanctions against DA Stanley after running against him in a losing battle in 2020, has now dismissed the charges against Jacobs.
Prosecutor Stanley said, KRDO13 investigates.
In the interview, Stanley said, “To be honest with you, he has no interest in this child at all. Not at all. The only reason he's looking after the baby is to have sex. That's it. And just so he has a place to sleep. Sorry to be so blunt, but to be honest, that's the way it is.”
Stanley said he thinks Crawford may have thought she might have someone to live with Jacobs and care for the children while she was away from the Motel 6 room.
“I think she's found a live-in nanny. She can really put in hours now, you know? She has a live-in nanny,” Stanley said in an interview.
Stanley claims the interview was not public, despite being on camera and wearing a microphone, and said, “I wish I could press my button right now, but I can't because it's being recorded.”
In his order dismissing the charges against Jacobs, Turner wrote that “District Attorney Stanley knew, or reasonably should have known, that comments made publicly to Reporter Rice about Jacobs and co-defendant Crawford would be disseminated publicly and would likely have a material adverse effect on the criminal proceedings.”
Judge Turner ultimately ruled that “District Attorney Stanley's actions reflected deliberate government outrages which violated Mr. Jacobs' right to due process. Accordingly, dismissal of the charges is the appropriate remedy.”
Judge Turner’s full order can be found here.
