What happened to Benjamin Kingan? Details explored ahead of 48 Hours on CBS
Benjamin Kingan was a 16-month-old toddler who passed away on January 14, 2009. He was found unresponsive in his daycare and was rushed to the hospital where he was declared dead.
A police investigation was carried out in which a daycare worker Melissa Calusinski was found guilty of murder. Melissa confessed to throwing the toddler on the floor out of frustration.
However, she later changed her statement and pleaded for clemency, claiming she was coerced into a confession.
The official synopsis for the 48 Hours episode, titled, Unraveling the Case Against Melissa, reads,
"Was key evidence manipulated to help convict a day care worker of murder? "48 Hours" correspondent Erin Moriarty reports Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025 at 10/9c on CBS and streaming on Paramount+."
Benjamin Kingan died of a head injury
The latest episode of the CBS investigative true crime show 48 Hours will examine the murder case of Benjamin Kingan. He was at his daycare when his parents Amy and Andy Kingan received a call about his unresponsiveness.
Benjamin, born on August 31, 2007, was a happy toddler who shared a special connection with his twin sister Emily Kingan and two older siblings, Danielle Mock and Jacob Kingan. He had enrolled at Minee-Subee, a daycare center in their hometown of Lincolnshire, Illinois since he was nine weeks old.
On January 14, 2009, he was found unresponsive and rushed to the hospital. He showed no sign of cardiac activity or respiration when he arrived at the hospital and was declared dead at 4:50 pm. The autopsy report revealed a serious head injury which came as a shock to the parents because he had not exhibited any signs of illness or distress at home.
The matter was further investigated by the police who alleged that daycare worker Melissa Calusinski threw Benjamin on the floor, causing the fatal injury.
Where is Melissa Calusinski now?
Daycare worker Melissa Calusinski was the first one to notice Benjamin's lethargic condition before he was taken to the hospital. During the investigation, Melissa initially said that the toddler had thrown himself backward on the floor which caused his head injury.
However, after nine hours of interrogation, she confessed to throwing Benjamin onto the floor. Melissa was tried for murder and sentenced to 31 years in prison.
She later changed her statement and claimed that she was coerced into confessing to a crime she didn't commit.
Despite her claims, she is in Lincoln Correctional Center in Illinois and is actively seeking clemency to have her case reconsidered. She has served 16 years of a 31-year prison sentence.
Her father Paul Calusinski, who believes in his daughter's innocence, said to ABC7 Chicago,
"Melissa had nothing absolutely to do with Ben's death. We know and she knows the truth is coming out, and we can all see a light at the end of the tunnel."
The 48 Hours next episode, titled, Unraveling the Case Against Melissa, will examine whether the key evidence was manipulated to help convict Melissa of murder or not.
