WOMAN ACCUSED OF STARVING GRANDSON BLAMES SON-IN-LAW

Toronto

A grandmother allegedly tried to blame the spouse of one of her daughters for the starvation death of her five-year-old grandson, a court heard yesterday. Elva Bottineau made the allegations against Michael Reitemeier before she was charged with first-degree murder along with her husband, Norman Kidman, in the death of Jeffrey Baldwin. Mr. Reitemeier fathered two children with Tammy Kidman and moved into the grandparents’ Toronto home about two weeks before Jeffrey died on Nov. 30, 2002. The allegation was outlined by James Mills, the boyfriend of Jeffrey’s other aunt, Yvette Kidman, during an April, 2004, videotaped interview with police. Mrs. Bottineau “ thinks he died because near the end there, Mike was taking care of Jeffrey a lot,” Mr. Mills said in the interview. Mr. Reitemeier was accused by Mrs. Bottineau of “ taking Jeffrey’s food and eating for himself,” said Mr. Mills, who was supportive of the grandparents and repeatedly spoke of concerns for his own

well- being during the

interview. “ They are

good people. I am not

holding this against

them. It was just an

accident,” Mr. Mills

said. “I don’t think

this was planned.”

Jeffrey weighed less than 10 kilograms when he died and medical experts who have testified have compared his malnutrition to the most severe cases in developing countries. The trial continues today.