We have new information on the Wilmington mother charged with the murder of her four month old baby.
Angela Billings, describes her nephew Logan VanDyke, as a very mellow, low key and happy baby.
Angela's sister in law, Maegan M. Stuhan was arrested Thursday for felony child abuse of her four month old boy, Logan.
Charges of child abuse changed to first degree felony murder Saturday.
Just before midnight, Logan died from multiple fractures and internal injuries.
Detective Lisa Savitts said, “our investigation shows us that it was more than one incident, however we're waiting for the final result from the medical examiner."
Billings said, “I don't think anyone saw this coming or that Meagan needed help."
Tuesday morning Stuhan brought her son to New Hanover Regional Medical Center.
Savitts said that Stuhan went to the hospital and reported that her son was having breathing difficulty.
It turned out that may not have been the case.
Savitts said, "It’s my understanding that it seemed apparent to first medical responders that his injuries were indicative of non-accidental trauma, thus resulting in the mandatory reporting to social services as well as law enforcement."
Billings said Stuhan eventually confessed to authorities that she abused Logan.
“She changed her story and then started admitting stuff, like hurting him, un-Godful things"
But later Stuhan retracted her confession, Billings said.
She says,"He's going to be flown back here we are going to be having a funeral for him."
Stuhan is being held with out bond at the New Hanover County jail.
Her first court appearance will be Monday.
Stuhan's aunt, Angela Billings lives in Michigan, that's where Stuhan is from.
She said that Stuhan was just supposed to be vacationing in Wilmington to get away from her boyfriend Randy VanDyke, but that she later decided to move here.
The aunt said that she never knew of Stuhan doing anything to harm her son.
Ugh, this sickens me and breaks my heart
I sit here reading these comments and I am just ASTOUNDED by the cold-heartedness and ignorance of some people. HOW could any MOTHER murder her own child???? HOW could anyone possibly defend her or make excuses for her murdering, yes, murdering, her own baby? A poor defenseless child brought into this world for her to nurture, love, hold, care for. Yet she abused the privilege of being a mother and MURDERED her own child. She didn't love this baby. She MURDERED it. Pure and simple, it's murder. It wasn't an accident. She intentionally inflicted harm on her baby and as a result, that baby suffered horribly for God knows how long and eventually that suffering lead to that poor baby's death...UGH, this sickens me. I am a young mother myself and I wasn't completely prepared for motherhood, yet never did I think about harming my baby. Sure, there were days when I didn't think I could make it through, and then she would smile at me and it would be worth it. Even now, 4 years later and another baby, I still get frustrated, aggravated, etc. but I could never hurt my baby!! There is NO excuse for what she did to her poor baby. NONE! And anyone who is making excuses for her is just as guilty as she is. How can you possibly excuse something like that? Please, someone help me to understand the thoughts of the ignorant.
In my opinion, she should get the death penalty. Not injection or electrocution...She should suffer just the way that baby did. And so should anyone else who defends her or makes excuses for what she did. Its horrendous.
My heart goes out to these poor little babies who suffer at the hands of the cruel people in this world. May God have mercy on your souls!
just stop..
Why are all of you making judgments on a subject you no nothing about besides what you read most of you on here did not know her and yeah this is a little extreme but there is more to it then what they are putting on here so how about before you decide to express your opinion a stupied one at that just stop because you dont know what was going on in her life what caused this and its not for you to decide and who are we to judge others its not are place and if you think it is just read the bible a little and then re think that because almost all of you didnt know her like her true friends did and still we are wondering what caused this so i would like to know how you people who did not even know her could say why she did this when the people that knew her cant.. so just stop trying. keep your rude comments to your self
I know her also,
And she is a really nice girl, and whenever i seen her with that baby you could tell that she loved it to death. I honestly just can't see her doing that,
I'm not saying i know if she did it or not, because i dont, and either do any of you.
Exactly.. Loved it to DEATH.
Yes, She loved it to death. My EX!-husband didn't look like a murderer either. Very nice.. and sooo charming. YOU NEVER REALLY KNOW ANYONE.
I was a parent at 26yo and
I was a parent at 26yo and it was hard for me but have I ever thought that shaking my baby was a good idea never. I don't care if she was 18yo or how much the baby cried. Shaking it is not going to make anything better. How do people seem to think that shaking it is going to get it to stop. It won't inless you do harm to it. I just want her to imagine what her baby was thinking and feeling when she was shaking it the terror that it felt knowing the one person it trusted was hurting it so bad and scaring it so much I want to cry for the baby just thinking about it myself.
Dead Baby
i understand how some feel about meagan, but i bet that no one actually knew her personally except her aunt that was talking in the article. I'm a friend of hers from Michigan, and none of you actually knew her. She was a happy go-lucky girl that has surprised me with this action, Meagan loves kids. None of you have the right to judge her based on one mistake she's made, i'm sure everyone of you has made a mistake in your life, maybe it's not as bad as Meag's, but you've made one. Please, don't judge meagan by what you hear on the news, or by what she has done, you don't know her and don't know how she is. I know that Meagan is regretting this right now, and none of you have the descensy to stop and think of why she may have done such a thing as this.
Jenelle.
Yea, but I only judge people
Yea, but I only judge people that will take the life of another human being
Huh??????
"...and none of you have the descensy to stop and think of why she may have done such a thing as this..."
It does not matter why!!!! There can be no excuse good enough, no reason severe enough!!!! You have got to be kidding with that last thought you had!!!
It was very DECENT for her to kill her child.
She lost the priviledge of anyone being decent with her when she lost the ability to be decent with her own flesh and blood.
Dead Baby
I am sorry, knowing this girl personally doesn't have to do with anything. So you knew this girl personally it doesn't make what she did right. Don't make excuses for her. This is a pretty big mistake. If she had it so hard, and such, there is help out there for people like that. If you can't handle the child there are so many people out there that can't have children, that would have loved this child.
What?!? Made a mistake?!?
What?!? Made a mistake?!? She's accused of killing someone. Her own child at that.
what would you think
I AGREE WHAT!!! SOMEBODY KILLED THAT BABY. WHAT WOULD YOU THINK IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW HER ? YOU WOULD BE JUDGING HER TOO!!! SHE NEEDS TO TELL WHAT HAPPENED,SHE KNOWS!
Being a good person has
Being a good person has nothing to do with commiting a crime. I never knew meagan, but i'll take your word about her being a good person. But, even if she didn't do this, I think she knows who did and that makes her as guilty as the one who did. We don't know what kind of a person she is, and quite frankly most people probably don't care. They want justice served for the crime that has been commited. And for the record, having children can make people do complete 180's. Good people can turn mean and bad people can turn into the best parents in the world.
Murdered baby
I hope this sick, demented, twisted girl gets all of the help she needs from the NC prison system. There is no excuse for her actions and hopefully she will one day realize what she did. Our community did not fail her, she failed herself and her child for not asking for help.
I knew this girl, as she was
I knew this girl, as she was friends with both of my daugthers in high School. I can't believe that she would do such a thing. My oldest daughter had a baby at 19, he is almost a year, When I look at him, and what a joy he brought all of our lives, I just can't believe someone would hurt a helpless baby. A baby can't defend themselves, and they look to their parents to love and protect them. This is just a terrible thing.
Please, stop the hatred.
We only know the tragic end to this story. Please don’t pass judgement or breed hate until you know the beginning and middle of this story. The only way anyone could know what happened to Logan is if they have first hand eye witness testimony. If so, that person should step forward and speak the truth. Every thing else that is being said only breeds hatred and the devil continues to win.
I am very sorry for the loss of this innocent child’s life and for the pain it causes those who loved him and those who will never get to know him. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time of mourning.
Who's to blame?
As I read the comments here, I see the blame game being played out. Let's blame everyone except for the one who should be blamed, and that is the mother. We didn't fail her. She failed to get help that was needed. If she felt that overwhelmed, she could have picked up a phone and called for help. That little boy suffered, but as a Christian, there is one thing I know. That little boy went from abuse of awful proportions, to the arms of Jesus! And that my friends is a consolation!! That young woman needs help, but she also needs to be punished legally for what she has done. No excuses, for there are none!! Redemption is possible, but she has to seek it with an open heart!
Meagan M. Stuhan
I CANNOT believe someone actually said we failed her. She didn't fail when murdering a poor little helpless BABY!! I sit here looking at my 5 month old wondering how could anyone ever even think of harming such a precious angel. Then I read such a comment, and know that there is all kinds of TWISTED out there!
18 years old is not a
18 years old is not a teenager. She is a legal adult. She knew she had responsibilities when she turned 18 and made the decision to have a child. Therefore it's her fault the baby is dead and she never got help. That is her fault. she is old enough to know right from wrong. She should be put on death row for this. Anyone who takes up for her should be just as guilty. If she didnt want the child she shouldnt have done the act. Or have the baby put up for adoption. Plain and simple. She had multiple choices as to what she could have done, and she chose to kill her baby. MAKE HER SUFFER!!!!!
DEAD BABY
How is it that God allows children to be born into such terror? This child was tortured. I say an eye for an eye!
I also was a young mother. I
I also was a young mother. I had just turned 17 years old (2) months prior to my daughter's birth. She will soon be 18 years old.
Was it hard? Sure
Was I easily aggravated when she cried? Sure
Was I sometimes depressed at the fact that I had given up so much at such a young age? Sure I was.
Did I love her? More than I thought possible.
I remember starting during her 2's, she was this terrible, little, beautuful child. Never listening to nothing!! Of course my parenting was not where it should have been, because I was still a child myself. It was hard!!!! I still regret some of the things I may have said to her. I yelled a lot as she got older when she did not do as I said. My poor baby took a lot from her young mother, still loving me for who I was. But! I never hurt her physically.
It took me maturing and accepting Christ before I became the parent I needed to be all the while.
This is another tragic example of teenage parenting. I know this is not an excuse for this young girls actions in anyway. I am not saying that. Take it from someone who raised a child, before I was an adult. Parenting is for mature, responsible adults. Otherwise you are just babysitting.
Maegan M. Stuhan
Although this young mother failed her son, I can't help but think that we as a community failed her.
Good Troll
Though not original, you got lots of hits. A 7 on the troll-o-meter! It was a troll wasn't it?
Are you kidding me???
How in the world did this community fail her? She left her HOME in Michigan for here, and even family and friends didn't see any issues. How could Wilmington have "failed" this murderer?
I'm quite sure as a community we won't fail her child and we'll see that she gets all the help she needs in prison.
Politically correct
Yep, that's the same way politicians think too. Now I guess we need to form a ta$k force to $tudy this and create a bureau to deal with it.
Stuhan
Just how did "we" fail her? Her own family had no idea what was going on. Child abuse is not something that you brag about. People in her frame of mind rarely reach out for help. If she had gone to social services or the police the boy would have been helped and she would have been arrested. Selfish child abusers do not want that.
That poor little boy suffered countless tortures. This girl has failed at the most instinctive behavior humans/animals possess, protecting our offspring.
I hope she rots in prison (death penalty is too good)... Stuhan will have a lovely life dealing with the other "Mothers" in prison.
Sickening
The only way we failed her, is if she had asked for help and been denied in any way. Has that been reported to anyone? She did not "fail" this tiny, INNOCENT baby; she repeatedly injured & murdered him! He was left in pain to suffer, without the comfort or love that a fragile little life needs. This was four months of a torturous hell for a precious and loving new baby. I do not speak as an outsider, I am one that had to get help myself. Today, my greatest gift is being a mother to my small children.
Blame
That is the American way, shift the blame to someone else.
What????
People are responsible for their own actions! If she wanted help she could have found it. What are people suppose to do, knock on their neighbors doors and ask them if they are having thoughts of abusing their child?
The only person who failed someone was this sick mother! It makes me so mad when something bad happens and people start pointed fingers in every direction except where they should be!
She was not alone when that
She was not alone when that baby died. It should be looked into more.