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