YORK, Pennsylvania — A judge has appointed an independent lawyer to advise a man charged along with his wife in the beating death of the 7-year-old boy whom they adopted from Russia.
Michael Craver, 45, and Nanette Craver, 54, of Carroll Township, Pennsylvania, are charged with homicide, child endangerment and conspiracy to commit both charges in the Aug. 25 death of the boy, Nathaniel Craver. Authorities said the child died of complications from traumatic brain injury and was also malnourished.
The couple had retained two lawyers to represent them jointly, but York County Common Pleas Judge John Kennedy advised them on Friday of the disadvantages of being represented by the same lawyers. He ended up naming Vincent Quinn to represent the husband, while his wife will remain represented by Gregory Moro.
The couple adopted Nathaniel, formerly named Ivan Skorobogatov, and his twin sister in 2003 from an orphanage in the Chelyabinsk region. Deputy prosecutor Tim Barker has said the girl is in a safe place and being well cared for.
The case, along with one in which a woman from Tennessee sent a 7-year-old adopted Russian child alone on a one-way flight back to his homeland, has sparked outrage in Russia and prompted officials there to suggest a suspension of adoptions of Russian children by U.S. families.
Russian authorities met with Pennsylvania prosecutors last month regarding the case against the Cravers.