Mother of alleged murder victim testifies in court

Posted on January 9, 2015

Nicholas Compton. (WJBC file photo)

By Joe Ragusa

BLOOMINGTON – The mother of an alleged murder victim testified in court Thursday.

24-year-old Danielle Fischer was called to the stand regarding the death of three-year-old Robbie Cramer in March 2013. 25-year-old Nicholas Compton is accused of causing injuries that eventually led to Cramer's death.

Fischer said she confronted Compton about injuries Cramer sustained in late Feb. 2013, but Compton responded harshly.

"'Are you kidding me? I've never hurt that boy. Don't ever text or call me again,'" Fischer said while reading a text message Compton sent her Feb. 28.

Fischer said Compton apologized, but the injuries didn't stop appearing.

"Well, you never have a <expletive> explanation as to why he has bruises all over," Fischer said in court Thursday, reading another text message she had sent Compton in March. "(Cramer) never had a problem before."

Fischer also faces murder and child endangerment charges in a separate trial, and she was given immunity for her testimony.

Fischer told the jury she started dating Compton in Dec. 2012, shortly after breaking up with Cramer's father, Jacob Cramer. Fischer said she broke up with Cramer because he didn't have a job.

There were multiple incidents where Cramer was injured under Compton's supervision, Fischer said, including two occasions where Compton told her Cramer fell in the tub and a time when Compton said Cramer injured his face while trying to shave.

Fischer said others expressed doubt about the abrasion to Cramer's face being caused by a razor.

Cramer also started losing hair in March and vomited on multiple occasions, including March 16 and March 25, the night before Cramer's fatal seizure.

"Everybody in the house had been sick with the flu," Fischer said.

Fischer said Cramer asked to sleep with her in her bed that night, and she was woken up the next morning by Cramer's seizure.

The prosecution will continue its case Friday with Dr. Scott Denton, a forensic pathologist that conducted the autopsy. The trial is expected to continue next week.

Joe Ragusa can be reached at [email protected].

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