Family: Mom would never have hurt baby

By Amaris Elliott-Engel / The Citizen

Thursday, August 25, 2005 9:43 AM EDT

AUBURN - Jolynn Wilson was so protective of her infant son that she slept with him at night and was reluctant to let anyone else hold him, her loved ones said Wednesday.
Jason Rearick / The Citizen
Jolynn Wilson is arraigned in Auburn City Court Wednesday afternoon. At left is her attorney, David Elkovitch. Wilson's bail was set at $10,000 cash or $20,000 bond by Judge Michael McKeon.
Family members and friends said Wilson did not have the capacity to harm her infant son, following her arraignment in Auburn City Court. Wilson was arrested Tuesday on the felony charge of criminally negligent homicide for actions police said she took which led to the death of her infant son, John D. Overstreet.

"If she's guilty of anything, it's overprotecting the baby," said Wilson's mother, Evelyn Knapp, who shared her 4 Orchard St. apartment with her 20-year-old daughter and 2 1/2-month-old grandson.

"He couldn't even whimper and she would pick him up," Knapp said.

Authorities are accusing Wilson of forcefully placing a baby bottle into Overstreet's mouth in an effort to stop him from crying.

The child died from a loss of oxygen 4 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 16, Auburn city police said.

Police said the charges are based on an investigation that included interviews, evidence collected and the report of an autopsy conducted by the Onondaga County Medical Examiner's Office.

"There's no way possible she could have done that to her child. Never, ever in a million years could I believe she did it," said Wilson's sister, Tammy Archambo. Archambo said Wilson was amazing with children and helped her raise her own children.

"This was God. This wasn't her," Archambo said.

Archambo, and other family and friends, said Overstreet's death was caused from choking on baby formula.

Overstreet was Wilson's second child. Her first, Tasha Wilson, 6, was adopted by Jolynn Wilson's foster parents,

Archambo said. Tasha Wilson is well, but is not an active part of Jolynn's life, Archambo said.

"After losing one, how do you actually deal with losing another one?" Archambo said.

About 25 people attended Wilson's arraignment Wednesday, many of them her family, including the infant's father, John Overstreet Jr.

Wilson could face up to four years in prison if convicted of criminally negligent homicide. She also is accused of the misdemeanor charge of making a false written statement to Auburn city police.

Wilson's bail was set at $10,000 cash or $20,000 bond. Wilson's attorney, David Elkovitch, said he would talk with her family to find out what an "intelligent request" for bail would be before making a bail application.

Wilson's next court appearance is a preliminary hearing scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 30 at 12:45 p.m.

Staff writer Amaris Elliott-Engel can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or at amaris.elliot-engel@lee.net

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