A Deadly Exorcism: The Tragic Story of Amora Bain Carson

This is a hard case....

Amora Bain Carson was a 13-month-old girl who lived with her mother, Jessica Carson, and her mother's boyfriend, Blaine Keith Milam, in a mobile home in Rusk County, Texas.

On December 2, 2008, the couple called 911 to report that Amora was dead. When the authorities arrived, they found Amora's body covered with blunt force trauma wounds and human bite marks. The couple claimed that they had tried to perform an exorcism on Amora, who they believed was possessed by a demon.

Background

Jessica Carson and Blaine Milam met in 2007, when they were both 18 years old. They soon moved in together and became engaged. Jessica had a daughter, Amora, from a previous relationship with Christopher Carson, who was serving in the Army.

According to Jessica's family and friends, she was a loving and devoted mother who cared for Amora. However, according to Blaine's family and friends, he was a controlling and abusive partner who isolated Jessica from her social network and influenced her religious beliefs.

Blaine was raised in a Pentecostal church, but he became interested in occult practices and demonology. He convinced Jessica that they had special powers and that they could communicate with God and angels. He also convinced her that Amora was possessed by a demon named "Martha" who wanted to kill them.

The Crime

On December 2, 2008, Jessica and Blaine went to a pawn shop to sell some household tools, hoping to get enough money to hire a priest for an exorcism. When they failed to do so, they returned to their mobile home and decided to perform the exorcism themselves.

They used a hammer, a screwdriver, pliers, and their teeth to inflict pain on Amora, believing that this would drive out the demon. They also sexually assaulted her with various objects.

The torture lasted for several hours, during which Amora suffered more than 20 human bite marks, 18 rib fractures, multiple skull fractures, a lacerated liver, a broken arm and leg, and extensive bleeding under her scalp. She also showed signs of possible strangulation. The couple claimed that they did not intend to kill Amora, but that she died as a result of the exorcism.

They were both arrested and charged with capital murder.

The Trial

The couple were indicted on capital murder charges in January 2009. They pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. They were tried separately in different counties due to pretrial publicity. Blaine's trial began in January 2010 in Montgomery County. The prosecution presented evidence of Amora's injuries and testimony from forensic experts who confirmed that they were caused by human bites and blunt force trauma.

The prosecution also presented evidence of Blaine's interest in occult practices and demonology, as well as his controlling behavior over Jessica. The defense argued that Blaine suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and delusions that made him believe that Amora was possessed by a demon. The jury rejected the insanity defense and found Blaine guilty of capital murder after less than an hour of deliberation. He was sentenced to death by lethal injection.

Jessica's trial began in March 2012 in San Augustine County. The prosecution presented similar evidence as in Blaine's trial, as well as Jessica's confession to the police that she participated in the exorcism and watched Blaine kill Amora. The prosecution also presented evidence of Jessica's lack of remorse and empathy for her daughter's death.

The defense argued that Jessica suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and battered woman syndrome as a result of Blaine's abuse and manipulation. The defense also argued that Jessica was under the influence of drugs at the time of the crime and that she did not fully understand what was happening. The jury rejected the insanity defense and found Jessica guilty of capital murder after less than two hours of deliberation. She was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.

References:

(1) Conroe jury hears horrific details of injuries to slain baby - Chron.

(2) Police: Toddler's Exorcism Turns Deadly - CBS News.

(3) In the last hours of 13-month-old Amora Bain... • Spooky Behavior.

(4) Conviction upheld in ‘exorcism’ torture death of 13-month-old girl.