Posted: 11/8/06
Babyís death called homicide
 Jason Nordin |
By Patrick Tepoorten
Almost three months after North Branch police officers responded to a call for an unresponsive infant, a young father is charged with second degree murder, first degree assault, and third degree assault. The Thursday morning arrest of Jason James Nordin, 21, North Branch, came after an extensive investigation involving the North Branch Police Department, the Chisago County Sheriffís Office, the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Attorney Generalís (AG) office.
THE CALL
North Branch Police Chief Steve Forner and officer Tim Olson were the first to see four-month-old Joshua Allen Nordin on the morning of Aug. 16, following a frantic 911 call from the childís mother, Jennifer Kunshier, 21, of North Branch. When the officers arrived, Joshua Nordin was on a bedroom floor not breathing, with bluing extremities. Forner performed CPR on the baby until he was transported first to Fairview Lakes Regional Health Care Center in Wyoming and then to Childrenís Hospital in St. Paul.
A STARTLING DISCOVERY
Once Joshua Nordin was stabilized, doctors at Childrenís Hospital began to examine him more closely, concerned that he may have been the victim of child abuse. It was soon discovered that he had suffered hemorrhages behind both eyes. Further investigation revealed that the baby was also suffering from ìlarge bilateral subdural collections of blood,î or bleeding in the brain, both of a recent nature and from what looked like a previous injury. As well, swelling was present in the brain. More hemorrhages and swelling were discovered in the spine, as well as healing fractures to five separate ribs.
Doctors concluded not only that Joshua Nordin had suffered a severe head injury that day, but had also suffered severe injuries at some time prior, injuries that had already begun to heal.
After continuing to be unresponsive for three days in the intensive care unit, Joshua was taken off life support systems on the morning of Aug. 19 and died at 10 p.m. A subsequent autopsy determined the cause of death to be homicide resulting from Shaken Baby Syndrome.
CHANGING STORIES
Initial information provided by Kunshier and Jason Nordin that Joshua had been with his father while Kunshier was downstairs tending to laundry when Joshua ìlurched backwards and went lifeless,î led investigators to focus on Jason Nordin.
When he was originally asked by investigators what had happened in the moments before Joshua became unresponsive, Nordin stated he was sitting with the baby in his arms when Joshua suddenly arched his back. He placed Joshua on the bed, noticed that he wasnít breathing, shook him lightly, and attempted CPR.
The next day, Aug. 17, armed with an extensive list of present and past injuries to the child, North Branch investigator Todd Frank again approached Jason Nordin, who denied hurting his baby in any way. He did admit to shaking him ìslightly,î telling Frank that he was told to do that in a CPR class. When asked to account for rib injuries, Nordin suggested they may have been the result of an incident in which a dog had accidentally run over Joshua.
Questioned again on Aug. 18, this time by Chisago County investigators Tracy Armistead and Garice Carlson, Nordin again denied any activity that could have led to the injuries. When he was told of evidence suggesting trauma though, he began to change his story. Nordin confessed that he had ìaccidentally droppedî Joshua a distance of two to four feet. He also stated that he had fallen down the stairs on a previous day, with Joshua in his arms. He thought at that time he might have squeezed the baby too hard in trying to protect him, causing the rib injuries.
Investigators Frank and Carlson returned on Aug. 21, after the autopsy had been concluded, and were accompanied by two BCA investigators, Drew Evans and Michael Wold. During an interview in which the autopsy findings were shared with Nordin and Kunshier, Nordin changed his story again, admitting that he had become frustrated with his son two weeks earlier and squeezed his ribs. He acknowledged that he may have squeezed too hard. Nordin also reiterated the incident where he fell down the stairs with the baby in his arms.
Nordin was told at that time that his story was not consistent with the evidence. Nordin then suggested that the injuries may have come from throwing Joshua up in the air. He said that on one occasion he had been unable to catch Joshua. He added that he had not told Kunshier of the incident because she didnít like him playing that way with the baby. Kunshier became upset upon hearing that and left the room.
Shortly after Kunshier left the room, Nordin began to sob and admitted to shaking Joshua violently on the morning of Aug. 16, after he became frustrated that Joshua wouldnít stop crying. He stated that Joshuaís ìeyes were glazedî after that and soon he appeared to stiffen and stop breathing. He also admitted that his earlier statement about throwing Joshua in the air had been false.
In subsequent interviews, Nordin stated that he knew what he had done was wrong, but that he ìdid not intend to kill Joshua.î On Sept. 11, Nordin admitted that he had shaken Joshua violently on another occasion, roughly a month before Aug. 16. He also admitted to squeezing Joshua roughly a week after that and confessed to hearing a rib crack at that time.
DOCTOR VISITS
Consistent with testimony from Nordin as to the dates of previous abuse, Kunshier told investigators that she had taken her child to the doctor around July 25 because he appeared sick and was crying a lot. The attending doctor reported that Joshua was ìpleasant, cooperative, and in no acute distress,î at that time, but was treated for constipation.
About two weeks later Kunshier returned to the doctor with her child, complaining of continued constipation and vomiting after meals. Joshua Nordin was prescribed Zantac for reflux and glycerin suppositories for constipation.
But Joshuaís vomiting increased following that visit, said Kunshier, and he would cry often and always seemed hungry. He also had trouble settling down at night. The infant appeared to be turning a corner on Aug. 15 when Kunshier decided to discontinue the Zantac. She told investigators that the incidents of vomiting decreased and he seemed ìhappier and easy to settle down.î
WHAT TOOK SO LONG?
Nordin was arrested on Nov. 2 and charged with second degree murder for the Aug. 16 incident, and both first and second degree assault for the incidents that occurred prior. He is being held at the Chisago County jail on $300,000 bail, with an option for $100,000 with conditions, including no contact with Kunshier. He is scheduled for a Rule 8 hearing on Nov. 14 at 1 p.m. in front of District Court Judge John McBride. The prosecution will be handled by attorneys within the AGís office, William Klumpp Jr., and Matt Frank.
But with a confession on record as early as Aug. 21, it begs the question: Why was there an 11-week gap before Nordin was arrested for the crime?
According to Amy Brendmoen, press secretary for the AG, it was a matter of proof. While the evidence in the hands of investigators was certainly suggestive, proof was required before an arrest could be made. That proof came on Nov. 1 in the form of final reports and analysis from Ramsey County medical examiner, Victor Froloff, and the treating physician.
ìWe would have liked for it to get done quicker,î said Garice Carlson on Monday afternoon, ìbut you canít speed up forensics. Things have to be done in a certain order and it takes time.î
Carlson also spoke to the rationale for the Attorney Generalís office handling the prosecution of the case, as opposed to the County Attorneyís office. ìAt the time this happened, the County Attorneyís office had its hands full with the (Martin) Carlson murder on July 22 and (Craig) Fleming prosecution. Also, they recognized that the Attorney Generalís office had much more experience with infant deaths related to child abuse. It was the County Attorney who called the Attorney Generalís office and requested assistance.î
Having been an integral part of this investigation from the beginning, Investigator Carlson said he was happy that an arrest has finally been made. ìItís absolutely a relief,î he said, that the investigation has moved on to the criminal charge phase.
Comment from Christina Lopez, 11/13/06
I would like to reach out to the families. I am in the same situation, just hang in there. SBS shaters lives for ever & brings lots of tears. Lots of prayers to everyone. There are so so many babies out there with shaken baby syndrome. So many resourses also.
Comment from Michele Poole, 11/28/06
As the grandmother/adopted parent of a Shaken Baby and the chairman of the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome, this is a classic case of SBS. A young father, frustrated with a crying baby and no resources to deal with his anger and impatience. There is however, no excuse for ever abusing a child and shaking a baby so that it's brain bleeds and you crack his ribs as abuse. Every family of a newborn child needs to be told over and over and over, that shaking a baby can Kill or cause permanent injuries, before birth and after.
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