Man arrested in beating of child who 'ate Santa's cookies' aka satans cookies

Man arrested in beating of child who 'ate Santa's cookies'

NEW CASTLE -- Thanks to the efforts of William R. Cramer, a 7-year-old New Castle boy likely will never forget Christmas 2011.

But be advised this is anything but a feel-good holiday story.

Cramer, a 37-year-old felon, was arrested on Christmas Eve after authorities determined he had beaten the youngster with a belt after finding the boy trying to sneak a peek at Christmas gifts.

"That's right, I whipped his ---," Cramer told police, sent to his South 15th Street apartment after neighbors reported hearing the beating. "(The boy) looked at Santa's presents and ate Santa's cookies."

Officers reported finding red welts "from (the boy's) lower back to the top of his neck," along with a small amount of blood.

Neighbors told police they heard the beating, and the victim's cries, about 8 p.m. that night. At one point the violence appeared to end, the witnesses said, but it started again after they heard Cramer scream, "I'm not done yet!"

Police entered the apartment through an unlocked door after no one responded to repeated knocking.

Cramer -- leaning against a wall to balance himself, according to reports -- initially he claimed he and three children in the apartment had been asleep.

When he later admitted to the beating, Cramer said he had also "kicked a chair to try to get through to (the victim)."

A breath test measured Cramer's level of intoxication at 0.14 percent, nearly twice the legal limit for motorists in Indiana.

He was charged this week with neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury, a Class C felony carrying a standard four-year prison term, and battery resulting in bodily injury to a person under the age of 14, a Class D felony with a standard 18-month sentence. His trial, in Henry Circuit Court 1, is set for March 26.

He remained in the Henry County jail on Thursday under a $8,500 bond.

Cramer's criminal record includes two convictions this year, for invasion of privacy and driving while intoxicated.

He has also been convicted of battery, harassment, residential entry and a second DWI count.

On Nov. 21, a warrant was issued for his arrest in Brown County, where he is charged with four counts of invasion of privacy, all felonies.

Ironically, Cramer was a Christmas baby -- born Dec. 25, 1974.