How Could You? Hall of Shame-Trysten Eli Frank Adams case-Child Death UPDATED

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Port St. Lucie, Florida, foster parent  Michael Beer,47, “was in court Thursday morning after he was arrested on first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse charges in the death of his 2-year-old foster child, according to Master Sgt. Frank Sabol, with the Port St. Lucie Police Department.

A judge did not set a bond for Michael Beer, 47, for the murder charge.

Officials say Port St. Lucie Police and St. Lucie County Fire Rescue went to…Sunday in response to a call of an unresponsive 2-year-old child.

The child, Trysten Eli Frank Adams, was taken to a nearby hospital where he was later pronounced dead. Officers and medical staff were unable to determine the cause of death at the time Adams was brought in to the hospital.

During the investigation, detectives learned that Trysten Adams was a foster child, living with his foster parents, Michelle and Michael Beer.

Police said Beer was the only adult inside the home at the time Trysten Adams required medical treatment. The only other occupant in the home was Adam’s 10-month-old biological brother.

An autopsy performed on Adams ruled the death as a homicide. Medical examiners say there were lacerations to Adam’s liver, along with other internal bleeding and bruising that would be consistent with blunt force trauma.

Port St. Lucie police detectives along with the United States Marshal Service Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested Beer at his home and he was taken to the St. Lucie County Jail for booking.

Lt. Scott Beck says this isn’t the first time Beer has been accused of hurting a child.

“There was a case in 1993 in which Mr. Beer was a caretaker of a 2-year-old child in which it was alleged he caused substantial injury to that child,” says Lt. Beck.

Beck said that case was in Palm Beach County and Beer wasn’t charged. Port St. Lucie Police say the 2-year-old girl suffered a skull fracture, broken leg and several bruises. Beer told investigators he was unaware of the allegation. [Yeah, right!]

Beer worked as a St. Lucie County substitute teacher, according to police. He  is being held at the jail in Fort Pierce.

Suspect, wife were licensed foster family

DCF officials said Beer was investigated in the 1990s, but was not charged in that case, and there have not been any previous problems before the arrest.  Beer and his wife were licensed as a foster family.

DCF said there were four children living at the Beer home; one was a biological child of he and his wife, Michelle. The deceased 2-year-old child is related to two other children that were cared for by the Beers.

The three other children living at the couple’s house have been removed from the home. Michelle Beer has supervised visitation with her biological child.

The deceased 2-year-old and his siblings were removed from their biological home in 2013 by DCF due to substance abuse.”

Michael Beer: No bond set for Port St. Lucie man charged in 2-year-old foster child’s death [WPTV  10/1/14 by Monica Magalhaes]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update:”Port St. Lucie Police have arrested a man who they say is responsible for killing his 2-year-old temporary foster child.

Michael Beer is being held at the St. Lucie County Jail with no bond on charges of killing Trysten Adams.

“If my son can’t see the light of day, he will never see the light of day. That’s how I feel,” said Trysten’s biological mother, Elisa Benedito.

Police say they were called on Sunday to Beer’s home for an unresponsive child. Trysten died at the hospital.

Initially, a DCF report says Beer mentioned the boy had an infection which the report says could have gone to his blood stream.

However, an autopsy later confirmed that the boy had lacerations on his liver, and internal bleeding from blunt force trauma, according to police.

Police say Beer was arrested because he was the only person home with the boy, aside from the boy’s 10-month- old sibling, when he was injured.

Benedito says she is going through rehab, and the boy’s father, Hoyt Adams, is in jail.

Benedito says she was on track to regain custody of her kids at the end of the year. Police say the Beer family was taking care of Benedito’s three children.

Trysten’s grandmother, Elizabeth Taccatta, says the family is devastated.

“He was only two years old. He’s never going to experience life ever again,” Taccatta said.

They thought Trysten was in safe hands.

“No matter what kind of monster you are, how could you kill a baby?” added Taccatta.

Beer is a former substitute for the St. Lucie County School district, according to a district spokesperson.

Benedito says she also went to the same church as Beer.

“I’m so shocked that this could happen. Like, my emotions are everywhere.”

Benedito just saw Trysten last Thursday, not knowing it would be their last visit.

“I’ll never be able to hold him. I’ll never be able to touch him. I’ll never be able to see his laugh. I’ll never get to see him do anything,” Benedito said.

Now, Benedito is putting pressure on DCF to give her answers: Could this have been prevented?

Benedito says it wasn’t until after her son’s death that she learned Beer had been investigated in the past for child abuse. Though he was never convicted, Benedito says she still would have wanted to know about the investigation.

“This is all coming out of the closet now. Why does it have to take this point in time? This point in time when my child is gone?” Benedito said.

Benedito says two of her kids were living with a different foster family in Stuart before they were sent to live with the Beer family.

While the kids were in Stuart, Benedito says she complained many times to DCF about bumps and bruises on their bodies.

“I’ve called 1000  times since they’ve been in DCF’s care,” she said.

DCF has not confirmed the claims, or how many complaints were made on behalf of the previous foster family.

Benedito says she hoped her kids were in safer hands with the Beer family, but things only got worse.

DCF says Benedito’s two other children have been placed elsewhere, along with the Beer’s 8-year-old biological daughter.

DCF says the Beer family has cared for 11 children in the past year.”

Elisa Benedito: Mother of Trysten Adams, 2, demanding answers in son’s death while in foster care [WPTV  10/2/14 by Meghan Mc Roberts]

“Michael Beer is charged with homicide and child abuse in the toddler’s death. His home on Myakka Terrace was empty on Thursday.  Port St. Lucie Police say the victim, 2-year-old Trysten Adams, was a foster child. He and his two siblings lived with Beer and his family.  That was news to neighbors.

“I haven’t seen a lot of kids,” says neighbor Paul Gronroos.

Gronroos says the Beers were quiet.

“There was no outward sign, no noise, no rumors on the street cause I live right behind him,” says Gronroos.

But that quiet was broken on Sunday. Police say inside the home Trysten was kicked or punched and those injuries killed him.

“I just feel bad for the children and for the family because it’s a nightmare,” says Tricia, another neighbor who didn’t want to give her last name.

She told us her parents also took in foster children so she knows the importance of a loving home.

“We gave them a good family structure which they didn’t have,” says Tricia.

Trysten’s biological family expected Beer, a churchgoer and substitute teacher, to take care of their little boy.

“How could you kill a baby,” says Elizabeth Taccetta.

The boy’s mother is stunned.

“He was amazing,” says Elisa Benedito, “I just can’t believe someone could actually harm a child like this.”

Beer’s wife Michelle is not facing charges in this case. Police say Michael Beer was the only person with the child when the injuries occurred.”
Neighbors say they’re shocked by the murder of a foster child in Port St. Lucie [WPTV 10/3/14 by Elizabeth Harrington]

“A Port St. Lucie man was in court Thursday morning after he was arrested on first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse charges in the death of his 2-year-old foster child, according to Master Sgt. Frank Sabol, with the Port St. Lucie Police Department.

A judge did not set a bond for Michael Beer, 47, for the murder charge.

Officials say Port St. Lucie Police and St. Lucie County Fire Rescue went to 731 SW Myakka River Trace Sunday in response to a call of an unresponsive 2-year-old child.

The child, Trysten Eli Frank Adams, was taken to a nearby hospital where he was later pronounced dead. Officers and medical staff were unable to determine the cause of death at the time Adams was brought in to the hospital.

During the investigation, detectives learned that Trysten Adams was a foster child, living with his foster parents, Michelle and Michael Beer.

Police said Beer was the only adult inside the home at the time Trysten Adams required medical treatment. The only other occupant in the home was Adam’s 10-month-old biological brother.

An autopsy performed on Adams ruled the death as a homicide. Medical examiners say there were lacerations to Adams’ liver, along with other internal bleeding and bruising that would be consistent with blunt force trauma.

Port St. Lucie police detectives along with the United States Marshal Service Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested Beer at his home and he was taken to the St. Lucie County Jail for booking.

Lt. Scott Beck says this isn’t the first time Beer has been accused of hurting a child.

“There was a case in 1993 in which Mr. Beer was a caretaker of a 2-year-old child in which it was alleged he caused substantial injury to that child,” says Lt. Beck.

Beck said that case was in Palm Beach County and Beer wasn’t charged. Port St. Lucie Police say the 2-year-old girl suffered a skull fracture, broken leg and several bruises. Beer told investigators he was unaware of the allegation.

Beer worked as a St. Lucie County substitute teacher, according to police. He  is being held at the jail in Fort Pierce.

DCF officials said Beer was investigated in the 1990s, but was not charged in that case, and there have not been any previous problems before the arrest.  Beer and his wife were licensed as a foster family.

DCF said there were four children living at the Beer home; one was a biological child of he and his wife, Michelle. The deceased 2-year-old child is related to two other children that were cared for by the Beers.

The three other children living at the couple’s house have been removed from the home. Michelle Beer has supervised visitation with her biological child.

The deceased 2-year-old and his siblings were removed from their biological home in 2013 by DCF due to substance abuse.”

Lacerations found on liver of murdered foster child [WFLS 10/3/14 by Rachel Leigh]

Update 2:“When Florida child welfare administrators vetted Michael Beer’s 2013 application to be a foster parent, they missed something: Two decades earlier, the same agency had “verified” an allegation that Beer failed to aid a 2-year-old girl in his care who suffered egregious child abuse: a cracked skull, broken arm, multiple bruises and welts and bruised ears.

They gave him the license.

A year later, when Beer and his wife asked to renew their license, the Department of Children & Families discovered the 1993 abuse investigation. The case is mentioned in a background check that began in March, but the report on the background check is neither dated nor signed in a public document provided to the Herald. And the document says the now-21-year-old incident was “not an automatic disqualifier.” They renewed his license.

Beer’s run as a foster parent ended tragically last week when police in Port St. Lucie charged him with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse. His alleged victim: a 2-year-old boy who had been sent by DCF in July to live in Beer’s home, along with two of the boy’s siblings. Police reports say Trysten Eli Frank Adams died of blunt force trauma, sustaining “severe lacerations” to his liver, along with bruising to his kidney, gall bladder, pancreas and rib cage.

After Trysten died, DCF waited a day to remove his two siblings, agency records obtained by the Herald Wednesday show. On Sept. 29, a day after Trysten’s death, a Port St. Lucie detective “asked why the surviving children are still in the care of the Beers,” a notation says. An investigator said the agency had scheduled a “staffing” for the next day, “but that upper management at the department made the decision not to remove the children from the Beers at this time.”

Records show that Trysten’s two siblings were pulled from the Beers’ home later that day. Beer was arrested the next day.

In addition to his foster care duties, Beer worked as a substitute teacher for the local school district, instructing students from kindergarten through the eighth grade. His wife, Michelle Beer, also teaches school, at Jupiter Elementary School.

During questioning by police following Trysten’s death, Beer said police in Palm Beach County who investigated the 1993 case “never said it was abuse” and the case has “never stopped [him] from getting jobs or becoming a foster parent.”

Trysten and his siblings came into foster care after their mother, Elisa Benedito, had failed over several months to beat her drug problem. Benedito, records show, had a long history of abusing opiate drugs, or painkillers, without a prescription, and had tested positive for marijuana.

On Christmas Eve 2013, Benedito’s two children were placed with their maternal grandmother. Two weeks later, she was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, possessing drug equipment and destroying evidence.

Trysten’s father, Hoyt Elie Adams, was struggling with a drug problem of his own. In May, DCF records show, Adams, while high on “Molly” — an Ecstacy-like drug popular at nightclubs and music festivals — dove through three different windows at three different residences. He then jumped into a bed where Benedito’s younger brother was sleeping, and “catapulted” himself through another window. Police had to stun him with a Taser to complete an arrest, and he “continued to assault medical personnel” at a hospital. The children ended up in foster care.

That same month, one of Trysten’s siblings was hospitalized with breathing problems. The child’s then-foster parents allowed Adams and Benedito to visit the child. “While at the hospital, the foster parents reported that Mr. Adams threatened Ms. Benedito with something to the effect of “wait until I get you to Louisiana. I will tie you to a tree and no one will hear you.”

Michael and Michelle Beer submitted their first foster care application on April 29, 2013. “Michael and Michelle Beer want to become foster parents,” a report said. “They have always been eager to help others and would like to follow through on that desire by caring for foster children.”

“Michael stated he is motivated to become a foster parent because he wants to give back to children in need and would like to offer stability and a functional home.” As to discipline, Beer said he was “committed to a positive parenting method,” and that corporal punishment had never been used in the family. One of Beer’s references in the school system said he would “place his own children with Michael.”

The foster care file says DCF ran Beer’s name through the agency’s abuse and neglect records on March 5, 2013. The result: “No record.”

“It is recommended that Michael and Michelle be approved to foster up to two children, either male or female, between the ages of birth and five,” foster care licensing counselor John Kalogris wrote. Their first foster children arrived on July 24, 2013, a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old. Records say a total of 10 foster children had come through the home by the time Trysten died, on Sept. 28.

DCF records obtained by the Herald show that, at least as early as March of this year, the agency had begun to process the Beers’ request that their foster care license be renewed for another year. The background study contained in the renewal application is odd: Though many of the notations are dated in March, it is unclear if the process was ever completed, as the final three pages of the report are neither signed nor dated.

The report notes that the Beers’ home had been foreclosed on by their homeowners’ association in March 2013; the judgment was satisfied the following September and they kept their home.

Some of the information contained in the licensing packet is dated after Trysten’s death. The “last background check,” for example, bears a date of Oct. 1, at 6:43 a.m. — three days after Trysten’s death.

The report on the background check says that, on March 25, 2014, DCF staff “found” the October 1993 abuse investigation, in which the agency determined that he had failed to protect a child who had been the victim of abuse. “Mr. Beer did not disclose this investigation to licensing, nor was it discovered during the initial licensing process,” the report said. “Mr. Beer stated he did not report the investigation as it occurred over twenty years ago, and he did not recall it until it was brought to his attention.”

Beer told licensing administrators that his only involvement in the abuse case was his discovery of a “bump on the head” of his then-girlfriend’s daughter, and he suggested his girlfriend take the girl to the doctor.

The toddler’s injuries were more than a bump. The Port St. Lucie Police Department’s report on Beer’s murder arrest said the toddler — who was in Beer’s “care and custody” at the time — suffered a skull fracture, a hematoma under her eye, a broken leg, bruising to the tops of her ears — which police say was indicative of twisting — and “several bruises and welts.” The girl was removed from the couple.

Trysten arrived at the Beer home on July, 29. Both the boy’s birth parents and Michael Beer described Trysten as introverted and quiet. His maternal grandmother told DCF he was a “lost soul.”

In interviews with police, Beer’s daughter said her father sometimes treated the foster child harshly. When detectives asked the girl to explain why Trysten sometimes whined, the girl stated because Michael would put him down “too rough” for his naps and diaper changes.

And when police asked the girl to demonstrate with a teddy bear how Beer handled the toddler, she grabbed the stuffed animal by one arm and swung it to the floor, police wrote.

The day Trysten died, both Beer and his wife insisted he was the only caregiver at the home, and an autopsy showed the boy’s fatal injuries would “take minutes to less than an hour” to cause death. The blunt force, a medical examiner said, was consistent with the force of “a punch or a kick.”

During the investigation of Trysten’s death, Beer, who is from New Jersey, talked about the 1993 abuse case. He said his girlfriend left her husband in Pennsylvania and moved with him to an apartment in Boynton Beach. Beer said the girlfriend’s daughter “would have bruises from time-to-time” and that at one point DCF “took” the child only to bring her back.”

 

DCF foster care decision has fatal outcome [Miami Herald 10/08/14 by Carol Marbin Miller and Audra D .S. Burch]

Update 3: Michael maintains his innocence!

“Shortly after 2-year-old Trysten Eli Frank Adams arrived at a hospital last month, nurses told a caseworker there were no marks or bruises on the toddler.

But within minutes of Trysten’s death that Sept. 28 afternoon, a doctor reported Trysten might have liver damage, according to records recently released by the state Department of Children and Families.

A medical examiner called Trysten’s death a homicide, and police say his foster dad, 47-year-old Michael Beer, is responsible. But Beer’s lawyer said this week his client maintains his innocence.

Port St. Lucie police on Oct. 1 arrested Beer, of the 700 block of Southwest Myakka River Trace in Port St. Lucie, on first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse charges in connection with Trysten’s death. He is being held in the St. Lucie County Jail on no bond.

Medical Examiner Dr. Roger Mittleman conducted an autopsy and reported two “severe lacerations” to Trysten’s liver, and bruising to his kidney, gallbladder, pancreas and rib cage inner lining, an affidavit states.

Mittleman said the injuries were consistent with blunt force, such as a punch or kick. He said it would take less than an hour for internal bleeding to cause loss of consciousness and death.

Beer and his wife of 15 years, Michelle, were foster parents for Trysten and two other children, records show. They also have their own daughter.

Lance Richard, Michael Beer’s attorney, said his client maintains his “absolute innocence.”

“He is 100 percent in shock,” Richard said. “You can tell just by talking to him.”

Police have no evidence indicating Michelle Beer was involved in Trysten’s death, said Master Sgt. Frank Sabol, police spokesman.

Richard said the biological daughter is back with Michelle Beer following a court hearing last week. He said Michelle Beer is staying with relatives in Palm Beach County.

Michael Beer told police the morning of Sept. 28 he took his daughter and foster daughter to church, while his wife stayed home with Trysten and the younger foster son, according to an arrest affidavit and police. Michael Beer said when Trysten woke up he was in a good mood.

His wife said Michael Beer and the girls returned from church about 11:30 a.m. She put Trysten in his room on his bed about 12:30 p.m. after he ate lunch.

About 1 p.m., she heard him make a “normal cry type sound,” and said Michael Beer went to Trysten’s room and told him to go back to sleep. She said she left with the girls about 1:30 p.m.

Michael Beer told police about 2:30 p.m. he noticed Trysten on the floor, whimpering, as he went to change the other boy’s diaper.

Michael Beer told police Trysten’s lips were discolored and he panicked. He called his wife, but she didn’t answer. He then called for emergency services.

He said his wife was pulling in the driveway about the same time as emergency crews. Trysten was pronounced dead at the hospital about 5:02 p.m.

Asked whether Michael Beer had an explanation for Trysten’s death, Richard said, “I can just tell you he’s absolutely maintained his position that he did nothing inappropriate or wrong as far as striking the child, touching the child or committing any type of battery or doing anything that would have caused this.”

According to records, in March officials became aware of an October 1993 “abuse investigation” for Michael Beer in which he “was verified for neglect; specifically for failure to protect.”

That wasn’t discovered when the Beers went through an initial licensing process to become foster parents, nor did he disclose it, according to records released by DCF. Michael Beer said he didn’t report it because it was more than 20 years ago and he didn’t remember it until it was brought to his attention.

Michael Beer said he remembered being interviewed for allegations of child abuse against the daughter of his then girlfriend. He said he noticed a bump/bruise to the child’s head and told his girlfriend to take the child to the doctor.

He said he wasn’t the child’s caretaker and thought he couldn’t take the child to a doctor for that reason.

The child in that case was placed with her biological father.

Beer was held Thursday in the St. Lucie County jail on no bond, a jail official said.”[Why isn’t the wife arrested?]

Attorney maintains client’s innocence in death of 2-year-old foster child[TC Palm 10/09/14 by Will Greenlee]

Update 4:”A Port St. Lucie man accused of killing his 2-year-old foster son appeared in court Friday morning and entered a not guilty plea.

Investigators believe 47-year-old Michael Beer abused 2-year-old Trystan Adams.  The child died from a lacerated liver and internal bleeding consistent with blunt force trauma.

Beer’s attorney said that his client maintains that he did not abuse the boy.

“I can just tell you he’s absolutely maintained his position that he did nothing in appropriate or wrong as far as striking the child, touching the child or committing any type of battery or doing anything that would have caused this,” said Beer’s attorney Lance Richard in a statement.

He is being held in the St. Lucie County Jail without bond.

His next court date is December 10th.”

Michael Beer: Man accused of killing foster son enters not guilty plea[Wptv  11/7/14]

Update 5:”In a nearly 6 hour police interrogation, Michael Beer remained relatively unemotional when talking about the death of his two-year-old foster son, Trystan Adams.

Trystan was pronounced dead in September when police say he was beaten and later died from his injuries.

Video shows detectives asking Beer about the events leading up to Trystan’s death, when he was home alone with the toddler.

“The medical examiner is ruling it a homicide, and there’s only one logical person responsible for that,” investigators said to Beer.

Beer is seen telling police that he was watching TV when he heard Trystan whimpering. He says he walked by Trystan’s room, saw him lying on the floor, but didn’t see his face.

Beer said he told Trystan to take a nap and walked away.

Moments later, Beer said he saw Trystan’s face and noticed his lips were discolored. He says he grabbed Trystan and called 911.

“I kept screaming, ‘Trystan, hold on baby. Hold on baby’,” Beer told investigators.

Beer was shown pictures of the deadly laceration to Trystan’s liver. Police also describe bruises to his stomach, kidneys and gall bladder.

“Is this infected?” Beer asked about Trystan’s liver. “No,” investigators responded. “That, Mr. Beer, isn’t done by any kind of infection or any type of medical malformation. That’s blunt force trauma.”

Investigators also tell Beer they found blood spatter on the floor in Trystan’s room and a changing table.

“You’re asking me like I should know how that happened,” Beer said. “You were the only one that was home,” Investigators responded.

Beer defended his innocence, yet provided no other explanations to how Trystan was injured while under his supervision.

“Is there a point where you just lost your temper?” asked investigators. “No, not at all. Trystan was a very easy little boy,” Beer replied.

They later give him a report from 1993. It’s from the Florida Department of Children and Families and details an allegation made against Beer. He told police he doesn’t remember, but the alleged victim does.

“Him hitting me and shaking me,” says the woman, who WPTV is not naming.

The woman is now in her 20’s and lives in Pennsylvania. A Port St. Lucie detective spoke to her by phone. The DCF report shows the girl, then age 2,  suffered a broken arm and several bruises while in Beer’s care.

“I just remember calling out ‘I want my mommy’ you know ‘get me my mommy, I want my mommy’,” says the woman.

She says she still suffers from night terrors.

“I’ll thrash sometimes,” says the woman.

Beer was never charged in the 1993 case. He now faces a homicide charge in Trysten’s death.”

 

Michael Beer: Police interview shows Beer denying involvement in foster son’s death[WPTV 12/11/14 by Meghan McRoberts, Elizabeth Harrington]

Update 6: “48-year-old Michael Beer of Port St. Lucie has been indicted on 1st degree murder and aggravated child abuse charges following the death of his 2-year-old foster child,  Trysten Adams, court records show.

Beer was arrested in October after placing a call to 911 after the 2-year-old was ‘found unresponsive.’

Investigators said the child was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead.

They said an autopsy found lacerations to the boy’s liver, internal bleeding and bruising consistent with blunt force trauma.

According to court records, the indictment was filed February 11th by officials.”

Michael Beer Indicted On 1st Degree Murder Charge In Death Of Foster Child Trysten Adams[CBS 12 2/16/15 by Victoria Price]

Update 7: A search of St. Lucie County court records shows that Michael has a court date on 8/12/15.

Update 8:“Family members of two-year-old Trysten Adams and the man who’s accused of killing the toddler, cried as they listened to a 911 call that was played inside Judge Gary Sweet’s second floor courtroom Thursday morning.

Opening statements in the murder trial wrapped up just before noon.

Michael Beer is accused of beating Adams, who was his foster child, to death in 2014.

Prosecutor Jason Bruin told jurors during is opening statement, that the case is about Beer inflicting a fatal blow to Trysten.

“It’s blunt force trauma that’s what killed this child blunt force trauma to the abdomen which lacerated his liver caused it to bleed and caused Trysten to die.” said Bruin.

But Defense Attorney Lance Richard said Beer was like an elementary teacher, a ‘Mr. Mom’ who loved kids and at one point the foster parent of 13 children.

He said Beer loved Trysten and didn’t have it in him to hurt the toddler.

“There’s no bruises no lacerations there’s no evidence he struck Trysten, there’s no intent to harm, no evidence of any motive. They can’t explain to you how it happened, when it happened or why it happened. They just know that he has a split liver Michael Beer is the last one with him must be him,” said Richard.

Richard believes inappropriate chest compressions that were performed by medical personnel at the hospital may have contributed to the child’s death.

The incident took place September 28, 2014.

Port St. Lucie police said the toddler was found unresponsive in Beer’s home when they arrived on scene.

The toddler was transported to the hospital and later pronounced dead.

Bruin told jurors when the child arrived at the hospital emergency personnel went into lifesaving mood.

“He was as close to death as a person could be that’s how bad off he was already when he gets to the hospital already in horrible shape,” said Bruin.

According to an autopsy report officials found lacerations to the boy’s liver, internal bleeding and bruising consistent with blunt force trauma.

Beer’s attorney plans to call his own medical examiner to during the trial.

Police said beer was the only adult in the home at the time of the incident.

The trial is expected to last at least until next Tuesday.”

Day one underway in foster father’s murder trial

[Wpbf 6/14/18 by Angela Rozier]

“If convicted as charged, Beer automatically gets life.”

Jury seated in foster dad murder trial

[CBS 12 6/14/18 by Chuck Webber]
Update 9:“A prosecution expert specializing in child abuse testified on Monday, refuting the main defense claim that CPR tragically killed a 2-year old foster boy.

Michael Beer is on trial accused of beating his foster son, Trysten Adams, to death in 2014 in Port St. Lucie.

“Really a punch, kick or a stomp that was hard enough to injure all these different areas,” said Dr. Randell Alexander, describing Trysten’s fatal injuries.

Alexander, a University of Florida expert in forensic pediatrics, said he reviewed the records in Trysten’s death.

Beer had called 911, reporting Trysten was unresponsive.

At the hospital, medics performed CPR on Trysten, but he ultimately died.

Alexander agreed with the Medical Examiner, who found two severe cuts on Trysten’s liver and internal bruising to multiple organs consistent with blunt force trauma.

But earlier in the trial, Beer’s attorney, Lance Richard, told jurors he would call his own medical examiner who would point to inappropriate and excessive CPR as the cause of Trysten’s fatal internal injuries.

“Do you have an opinion in this particular case on the likelihood of chest compressions causing these particular injuries?” asked prosecutor Jason Bruin.

“I do,” Alexander replied. “I don’t think they did, the CPR did it.”

Alexander testified he’d never seen fatal CPR injuries in his career,and said it was statistically extremely rare.

Plus, he said there’s the tear in Trysten’s adrenal gland.

“I think it’s consistent with a blow that shows you a deeper blunt force, penetration force, if you will,” Alexander said.

The defense has yet to call its medical expert.

Last week, Beer’s ex-wife, Michelle Beer, testified in the days before the child’s death that her husband had expressed frustration with Trysten. She quoted her ex- saying, “He’s got to go,” as he slammed his clenched fists.

There’s been no mention in court that the state Department of Children and Families had investigated Beer 21 years earlier in Palm Beach County for the alleged abuse of a 2-year-old girl.

No charges were filed related to that incident.

The trial is expected to go at least through the middle of the week.

If convicted as charged of first-degree murder, Beer automatically gets life in prison.”

Child abuse expert’s testimony refutes defense claim that CPR killed foster boy

[CBS12 6/18/18 by Chuck Weber]

Update 10:“Michael Beer faces up to 30 years in prison after he was convicted by a jury late Wednesday of aggravated manslaughter in the September 2014 death of his 2-year-old foster son.

Beer, 51, a Port St. Lucie resident who had worked as a St. Lucie County substitute teacher, had been charged with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse in the death of 2-year-old Trysten Eli Frank Adams.

The boy was unresponsive when Port St. Lucie police and St. Lucie County Fire Rescue workers responded on Sept. 28, 2014, to a call at Beer’s home in the …Southwest Myakka River Trace.

Trysten had no visible wounds, but died within hours.

An autopsy later from the medical examiner for the 19th Judicial Circuit ruled the death as a homicide after finding lacerations on Trysten’s liver caused by blunt-force trauma.

Beer would have faced an automatic sentence of life in prison if convicted of first-degree murder. After deliberating for about seven hours late into Wednesday night, the Circuit Court jury found Beer guilty of aggravated manslaughter, a lesser-included offense, and acquitted him of the child abuse charge.

Beer and his now ex-wife, Michelle, had a child of their own and were licensed as a foster family. They were foster parents to three children, including Trysten and two of his siblings, who had been removed from their biological home in 2013 by the state Department of Children and Families because of substance abuse within the home.

Michelle Beer testified for the prosecution to establish her then-husband was alone with Trystan.

She said she was out shopping and returned home to find him holding the limp child.

She also said that in the days before the incident, her husband had expressed frustration with Trystan.

Assistant State Attorney Bernard Romero said he was happy with the verdict, noting the inherent difficulty in prosecuting child abuse cases.

“You have to use circumstantial evidence in a case like this because people don’t abuse children in public, they do it in privacy and secrecy,” Romero said.

Romero said much of the case was a battle of testimony from medical experts.

Beer testified he found the child laying on the floor, struggling to breathe, and did not know how the injury to the boy’s liver occurred.

Dr. Ronald Wright, a forensic pathologist and former Broward County medical examiner, said the lacerations on the boy’s liver occurred when hospital staff performed CPR twice on the child for more than an hour.

Defense attorney Lance Richard of Stuart said the boy improved after the first round of CPR and doctors were considering transferring him to another hospital.

Dr. Nathan Mohseni, emergency room physician at Tradition Medical Center, said blood tests he performed indicated the boy’s liver had been damaged about an hour before the child arrived at the hospital, although Richard said medical records did not support that conclusion because the blood was drawn an hour after the boy arrived at the hospital.

Romero said that “matched the timeline for Beer being alone with the child.”

Richard said, “Obviously, my client and I are very disappointed with the verdict, though it does seem inconsistent because they acquitted him of child abuse.

“It does save him from a life felony,” Richard said, but added state guidelines will call for a minimum sentence of 13 years.

Circuit Judge Gary Sweet set sentencing for 1:30 p.m. Aug. 13.”
Michael Beer convicted in manslaughter of foster son; acquitted of child abuse

[TC Palm 6/21/18 by Paul Ivice]
Update 11:“Michael Beer, convicted in June by a Circuit Court jury of aggravated manslaughter in the September 2014 death of his 2-year-old foster son, was sentenced Tuesday to the maximum 30 years in prison.

Beer’s attorney, Lance Richard of Stuart, termed it a “life sentence” for the 51-year-old who had been a Port St. Lucie resident until his arrest in the September 2014 death of Trysten Eli Frank Adams.

More:Port St. Lucie man convicted in manslaughter of foster son

The boy was unresponsive when Port St. Lucie police and St. Lucie County Fire Rescue workers responded on Sept. 28, 2014, to a call at Beer’s home in the 700 block of Southwest Myakka River Trace.

He had no visible wounds, but died within hours.

An autopsy later from the Treasure Coast Medical Examiner ruled the death as a homicide after finding lacerations on Trysten’s liver caused by blunt force trauma.

Beer had been charged with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse, but after a trial in June the jury found Beer guilty of aggravated manslaughter, a lesser-included offense, and acquitted him of the child abuse charge after deliberating for about seven hours.

Beer and his now ex-wife, Michelle, had a child of their own and were licensed as a foster family. They were foster parents to three children, including Trysten and two of his siblings. The three children were removed from their biological home in 2013 by workers with the state Department of Children and Families because of substance abuse in the home, court records show.

In addition to testimony from two of Beer’s sisters who pleaded with Circuit Judge Gary Sweet for leniency, Richard brought in three sheriff’s deputies and two nurses who work at the St. Lucie County Jail who testified that Beer was a model inmate who conducted Bible study classes and helped fellow inmates in other ways.

Assistant State Attorney Bernard Romero told Sweet this case “isn’t about good people who do bad things, but when someone does something bad.”

“Throughout history, people are judged by how they act when they are tested by stressful circumstances,” Romero said, pointing to Beer. “Test after test after test, he has never come clean and admitted what happened.”

Instead, Romero said, “By blaming the very people who tried to save Trystan’s life,” he caused other people to suffer emotionally.

Assistant State Attorney Jason Bruin also countered with testimony with Trystan’s mother and grandmother.

The grandmother, Elizabeth Taccetta, asked Sweet to give Beer the maximum sentence “so he can feel the pain and suffering that we’ve been feeling.”

Richard said he was disappointed by the maximum sentence and he intends to file an appeal of the trial judgment.”
Judge gives Port St. Lucie’s Michael Beer maximum sentence in death of toddler foster son
[TC Palm 8/13/18 by Paul Ivice]