Age 4 boy died, adoptive parents allegedly performed exorcisms, duct taped him onto the floor

(The AEGIS Alliance) – A North Carolina couple was apprehended on the grounds of murder after their 4-year-old adopted child passed away due to a brain injury reportedly resulting from an exorcism.

Surry County Sheriff Steve Hiatt stated that on January 5th, emergency medical services took Skyler Wilson to Brenner’s Children’s Hospital following a medical crisis. The following day, representatives from Child Protective Services informed the Surry County Sheriff’s Office of Skyler’s injuries.

The child is said to have passed away on January 9th as a result of injuries connected to the mistreatment inflicted by his parents. The Sheriff declared that the death is under investigation as a murder. The authorities apprehended Joseph Wilson, 41, and his wife Jodi Wilson, 38, in association with the death of Skyler.

Court records obtained by WGHP-TV indicate that Skyler was diagnosed with a hypoxic brain injury, which is caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain. A physician informed investigators that the cause of the injury was due to an excessive restriction from a “swaddling” technique that Jodi is alleged to have used on the child.

It is reported that on the day he was taken to the hospital, Jodi sent a message to her husband that included a photo of Skyler lying face down on the ground, covered in a blanket, and secured with duct tape. In another message, she allegedly mentioned an issue with the swaddling method for that day. Jodi is believed to have learned the swaddling technique from a woman called Nancy Thomas, who advocates for the use of this method for children who require attachment therapy.

On the same day, Joseph and Jodi were reported to have placed Skyler in bed but subsequently moved him to the couch. According to WGHP-TV, Skyler was stiff and semi-responsive before losing consciousness. Joseph then dialed emergency services to report Skyler was experiencing a seizure.

Jodi was allegedly heard in the background making a statement about it being her fault. On January 6th, detectives conducted a search of the Wilsons’ residence and discovered “wrist and ankle support strap/braces.”

According to court records, Jodi reached out to one of Skyler’s previous foster parents and discussed various methods of swaddling, as well as the restriction of food and not allowing Skyler’s sibling to walk independently. Jodi is also alleged to have revealed information about the use of gates to confine Skyler in a room for prolonged periods of time alone, as well as exorcisms performed on both children.

The former foster parent is said to have submitted a report to social services on December 7th out of concern for Skyler and his sibling. The detectives reportedly seized several items from the Wilsons’ residence, including multiple surveillance cameras, USB drives, laptops, and other items. Joseph and Jodi Wilson are currently being detained without bail.

Jeffrey Childers – The AEGIS Alliance – This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.