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Dead boy's brother says closet was punishment

By Sue Lindsay, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published August 5, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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Chandler Grafner at 7.

Chandler Grafner at 7.

Jon Phillips

Jon Phillips

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Chandler Grafner had to spend days and nights in a closet with no food, his little brother told a detective the day after his death.

Taped interviews of the boy were shown to jurors Monday in the trial of his father, Jon Phillips, who is charged with first-degree murder and child abuse in 7-year-old Chandler's death on May 6, 2007.

Prosecutors contend Chandler died of dehydration and starvation after being kept in a dark, locked closet without food and water. Defense attorneys say he died of complications from undiagnosed diabetes.

Dominic Phillips matter-of- factly told Denver Detective Ken Klaus, "I had a big brother but he's dead so he went to heaven."

He told the detective that his "mommy and daddy put Chandler in the closet because he was being really bad."

He said sometimes Chandler had to stay in the closet through dinner and slept there. "Sometimes he poops in his hand and rubs it all over the walls of the closet," Dominic said.

The first time he had to stay in the closet "was a long time ago," Dominic said, adding that he didn't have to go into the closet.

The boy said Chandler sometimes asked him for food when their parents were asleep. "He said, 'Dominic, go get me food."

But Dominic said he didn't get him any, explaining, "I don't want to get into trouble."

Asked to help draw pictures of his family, Dominic said they all had happy faces except Chandler.

Dominic said he and his brother usually had cereal for breakfast in their bedroom but they didn't get lunch anymore "because mommy and daddy always forget."

He also told the detective that the boys had to take "very mean showers" when they got in trouble. That meant the showers were cold, he said.

He also said Chandler got in trouble for stealing food.

Jon Phillips' parents said they last saw Chandler during Easter weekend 2007. They said that Chandler was grounded and had to eat oatmeal while the rest of the family had their Easter dinner.

Jon's mom, Christine Phillips, said she understood this was because "he was acting up" at home and school. She said she didn't know that Phillips and his common-law wife, Sarah Berry, had pulled Chandler out of school by then.

Christine and Tim Phillips said they knew nothing about Chandler being ill before they were called when he was taken to the hospital.

They said Chandler was always thin but healthy.

Jon Phillips' brother, David Phillips, said he also was at the Easter family gathering in 2007, the last time he saw Chandler alive.

The boy had a black eye that day, he recalled, and said that Phillips told him it happened when Chandler was hitting himself in the shower. He said Jon Phillips told him Chandler was grounded because the boy told a lie about Berry giving him the black eye. Jon Phillips said he had seen Chandler punching himself in the face, David Phillips said.

Chandler had oatmeal instead of Easter dinner "because that was part of his punishment," he said.

Comments

  • August 5, 2008

    3:06 a.m.

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    Who_Me writes:

    Dateline RMN: "Dead boy's brother says closet was punishmenr"

    What a sad story. Hopefully, when the younger brother grows up, he can sound out t's better and say punishment.

  • August 5, 2008

    7:33 a.m.

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    fiesty writes:

    It's good to remember that there is another little boy affected in this case.

  • August 5, 2008

    9:09 a.m.

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    missmilehi writes:

    This makes me so sad. It's so surreal. If we are only getting a glimpse of the whole story, I can't even imagine the horrors inside that house on a day to day basis.

    There are so many people praying and yearning for children, and can't have them - to hear that there are kids treated worse than a house cat (oh, that poor girl in Philadelphia, was it?) is absolutely heart breaking.

    Love and Light Chandler and Dominick!

  • August 5, 2008

    9:19 a.m.

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    ShadyGrady writes:

    Sell raffle tickets for a chance to spend 5 minutes locked in a room with this loser. Winner gets to initiate the punishment however he sees fit. Donate the proceeds to help social services get its act together. Televise it on pay-per-view and raise some serious cash.

  • August 5, 2008

    9:45 a.m.

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    fiesty writes:

    missmilehi - I'm right there with you. I only have one son, because I can not have any more children due to some damage from when I was in the military. We want to adopt, but simply don't have the money for the homestudy. When I see stories like this, or worse yet, abandoned babies who die (senseless with the safe haven law!), I get so infuriated because I would be more than willing to take the child into my home. Don't these people realize what a wonderful gift they have/had- the life and love of a child?

  • August 5, 2008

    10:15 a.m.

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    LetsTalk writes:

    There is a serious measure to help situations such as this that has never been enacted despite being recommended to the legislature/Governor as long as ten years ago. It's not even expensive - establish an independent oversight commission, titled an Office of the Child Ombudsman. Despite their best efforts, Social Services cannot reform itself.
    If anyone wants to help, contact Governor Ritter and demand that his currently in session Child Action Committee establish a pilot Ombudsman office NOW. Although they may not make the headlines, there are children/parents involved in Social Services being hurt daily. The pilot office could be used as a model of how to best establish a permanent office, which needs to be established legislatively next session (Jan.)

  • August 5, 2008

    10:24 a.m.

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    Keltie writes:

    If you see the recent pic for today , shows Chandler in yellow shorts , and his brother in a diaper ..
    notice the shorts are filthy dirty .. didnt Jon or his so called wife care to change him into clean clothes ?
    I just hope that when they get to there own personal " cell " they will be in there own personal " he _ _ " , hopfully someone inside the jail , will take care of business .
    The bad part is , the little brother of Chandler , will have this bad memory for the rest of his life .. I just hope that Chandlers little brother will have better guardians to take care of him , raise him to be a great person .. he really deserve to have all the Love that is possible to give to him , especially since he has gone thru this whole ordeal.