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About Keizertimes. (Salem, Or.) 1979-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 20, 2017)
SINCE 1979 • VOLUME 38, NO. 16 SECTION A Caden Berry JANUARY 20, 2017 $1.00 Son slain , mother charged Boy strangled in apartment By ERIC A. HOWALD Of the Keizertimes A 12-year-old Keizer boy was found dead by Keizer police offi cers on Saturday, Jan. 14, and his mother is charged with aggravated murder. Keizer Police Department offi cers were summoned to an apartment at 175 Garland Way N. about 12:45 p.m. and found the Caden Berry unresponsive inside. The victim’s mother, Amy Marie Robertson, 38, was also at the scene and was taken into custody. Robertson is being held without bail at the Marion County Correctional Facility on a charge of aggravated murder. Aggravated murder includes, but is Robertson weeps at arraignment not limited to, incidents of intentional homicide when the victim is under the age of 14. An autopsy found that Caden had been strangled to death Monday, Jan. 16. On Tuesday, Jan. 17, Robertson wept as a state attorney told Judge Rafael Caso that Robertson had admitted to causing his death. Neighbors told other media outlets that Robertson was found outside the apartment waving her hands and screaming. When they asked where Caden was Robertson said he was in the apartment under a blanket. Caden was found in a tipped over recliner under a blanket, neighbors said. Amy Marie Robertson sobbed audibly as an attorney for the state told the court she had admitted to strangling her son to death. Robertson appeared in court behind a glass window Tuesday, Jan. 17, for arraignment on a charge of aggravated murder. Robertson spoke with attorneys during the proceeding, but did not address the court. Reporters were not permitted to photograph Robertson by order of Judge Rafael Caso. Please see CHARGE, Page A8 Please see ARRAIGN, Page A8 Flags for pedestrians? PAGE E A2 Amy Robertson Former neighbors say mother’s troubles the result of alcohol, drugs KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald A large and growing memorial for Caden Berry in front of the apartment where he and his mother lived off Garland Way North. By ERIC A. HOWALD Of the Keizertimes When Jason and Katie Lawrence moved into 2660B Edison Street in Eugene in late 2011, they couldn’t help but notice the memorial hanging on the fence of their neighbor’s home in 2660A. The memorial was for Colby Casto, the older brother of 12-year-old Caden Berry whose mother is charged with Caden's aggravated murder in a Keizer apartment complex. The Lawrence’s new neighbor was Amy Robertson, mother to Colby, Caden and the woman’s only remaining child Colton. Robertson’s boyfriend at the time also resided at the house. Colby had committed suicide mere weeks before the Lawrences moved in. He was 12 years old at the time. MHS drama gets altogether ooky PAGE A3 Please see TROUBLE, Page A8 Judge: HOA discriminated against resident Submitted The McNary Estates Homeowners Association was found to have discriminated against Khrizma Kuhn pictured in 2015 with a for sale sign in front of her one-time home. to go to the jury, Renee and Gary By ERIC A. HOWALD would be likely to testify about Of the Keizertimes For the second time in six years, their experience, Steinman said. the McNary Estates Home Own- The jury would also be told that a ers Association (HOA) was found judge had already found the HOA to have discriminated against a dis- and Girod to be in violation of the abled resident - this time for re- federal and state law and that the fusing to accommodate parking of HOA had previously been found a RV deemed medically necessary in violation of similar standards in for a woman suffering from a vari- a 2011 case. In the 2011 judgment, the HOA ety of ailments. U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken was determined to have violated issued a summary judgment on the the FHA by not allowing a privacy fence to prevent an facts of the case for 11-year-old devel- the plaintiff, Khriz- opmentally disabled ma Kuhn, and her “The only boy from wander- parents, Renee and issue left to Gary. The lawsuit ing off the property determine is of his mother’s boy- named McNary Estates HOA and friend. damages.” Teresa Girod, presi- Lacking options, dent at the time of — Dennis Steinman, family leaves the confl ict, as de- Attorney for Kuhn family In April 2015, fendants. the Kuhn family “The judge requested a waiver found absolute liability against from the HOA to park an RV in the HOA and the individual de- their driveway as an accommoda- fendant. The only issue left to de- tion for their daughter, Khrizma. termine is damages,” said Dennis Khrizma suffers from Down syn- Steinman, the attorney represent- drome, autism and other maladies ing the Kuhn family. that require access to a bathroom The next stage in the process and a shower even on short trips. is to convene a jury to determine Parking the RV in the family’s damages, but Steinman previously driveway without a waiver would said many summary judgment have violated McNary Estates cases are settled prior to reaching HOA rules. that stage. If the question of damages were Please see HOA, Page A8 Boys trounce Olys, Grizzlies PAGE A10 Wrestlers at Oregon Classic PAGE A14
