I’ve done some long-due updating on my Memoriam page, adding Nathaniel Craver born Ivan Skorobogatov. Vanya died August 25, 2009, the result of a severe beating and malnourishment. After a 6-month investigation, on February 26, 2010, His Forever Parents, Michael and Nanette Craver were arrested and charged with felony homicide, conspiracy, and child endangerment. The Cravers are scheduled for a preliminary hearing on April 29. I’ve been trying to dig out agency information, but nothing so far. I am posting my entry on Vanya at the bottom of this entry, but for a complete review of deaths, please go to the Memoriam.
I have also added the Cravers to my “Killers” page and done a couple updates and clean-ups in other cases.
Brian Dykstra, accused of killing Isaac Dykstra (birth name unknown) is finally going to trial. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for April 29 and trial date set for May 10,2010. See the Memoriam page for details of the case.
Nathaniel Michael Craver (birth name: Ivan Skorobogatov), age 7, Dillsburg/Carroll Township, Pennsylvania. Died August 25, 2009 at Penn State Hershey Medical Center after being taken off life support. The autopsy revealed Vanya suffered 80 external injuries, including 20 to the head. Old injuries, including fractures to his forehead and old blood beneath his scalp were found. The coroner also found evidence of malnourishment and “severe failure to thrive.” Adopters Michael and Nanette Craver say that Vanya caused injuries to himself.
On August 19, the Cravers claim Vanya fell and hit his head on a wood stove in their home, but seemed OK. Next day he was found unresponsive in his urine soaked bed and taken to the ER. Michael Craver’s mother told investigators that on Memorial Day 2009 she was shocked to see Vanya’s eyes swollen shut and was told by her son that the boy rubbed and scratched his eyes and wouldn’t leave them alone. She also reported that Vanya would shake when he thought he would get in trouble over something. An adoptive aunt reported that in August 2009 Nathaniel’s eyes were swollen shut and the left side of his face was swollen. There are no records of medical treatment for any of the injuries Vanya supposedly suffered at his own hand.
On February 26, 2010, Michael J. Craver, 45 and Nanette L. (Korkuch) Craver, 54 were arrested and charged with criminal homicide, conspiracy, and child endangerment. They are currently held in the York County Prison without bond. Authorities said they made no connection between the death and Vanya’s Russian adoptee status and were surprised when Russia TV crews showed up at his office. No trial date has been set. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 29, 2010.
Additional information: Sometime in 2008 , the Cravers briefly lost physical custody of Vanya and his twin sister Elizabeth (now in care) while York County Children and Youth Services investigated alleged negligence and poor conditions in the home. (no details) The children were returned and pulled out of public school to be home schooled. (Another report says they were already being home schooled).
In 2003, Vanya and his twin sister Dasha (now known as Elizabeth) were adopted from an orphanage in Chelyabinsk. In US 6 years (approx). Home Study: unknown. Post-Placement: unknown. Adoption Agency: unknown
Selected resources:
Harrisburg Patriot-News, February 27, 2010. “York County parents charged in death of their son, 7”
York Dispatch, March 4, 2010. “Prosecutor: Local boy’s death sparks international attention”
York Dispatch, March 5, 2010. “Carroll Twp. couple charged in child’s death”
That is a hard blog to visit, BD. It always makes me a combination of furious and sad. Good work…keep it up.
Good one sided reporting. No comment on the infant alcohol syndrome that both kids suffer from and the long history of documented problems the family suffered of self abuse that the children with this syndrome inflict on the themslves. The Russians hide a lot of this from the adoptive parents.
BH
We’ll see what comes out at the Craver trial. However, FAS or other problems are no excuse for abuse and murder of children.
To the previuos anonymous: he was repeatedly injured and no doctors were called – and THAT in the house of his own so called parents! – what sides are there to it? To me those Cravers sound like a pretty couple of sadists, Nazis. And psychopaths. And I DO WONDER whoever gave a ‘difficult’ child to them… really the public should know the names of those in the adoption agency etc who signed papers and they should be put on trial too.