Shivangi Sinha
In September 2015, Kelley Clayton was murdered inside her home in Caton, New York. She was a young mother of two sons, Charlie and Cullen, and her older child witnessed the attack. The crime deeply traumatized both children, especially as the investigation later revealed their father, Thomas Clayton, had arranged the killing. Charlie’s account proved crucial in helping police piece together what had happened and move the case forward. ABC’s ‘20/20: The Murder of Kelley Clayton and the 7-Year-Old Witness’ examines the case in detail and explores how the children were affected and learned to cope in the aftermath.
Charlie and Cullen Clayton Were in the House When Their Mother Was Attacked
In September 2015, Charlie Clayton was seven years old and her younger brother, Cullen, was just three. They had been living a seemingly happy life in their family home in Cnton, New York, until everything changed on September 29, 2015. That night, a masked intruder entered the house and attacked their mother, Kelley Clayton. When police arrived, they quickly determined that both children had been inside the home during the killing but were physically unharmed. As officers spoke with Charlie, she explained that a man had begun striking her mother, who then told her to run. When asked whether she recognized the attacker, Charlie said the man’s eyes looked like her father’s.
Investigators then decided it was best to involve a child forensics specialist, and a second interview was arranged at the Chemung County Child Advocacy Center. During this session, Charlie again stated that the attacker resembled her father. She explained that she recognized him by the mask he was wearing and the jeans he had on, which looked like clothing her father owned. When police asked whether she had seen a similar mask before, the little girl said she had previously seen her father with one like it. She also described how frightened she was after the attack and how she clung to her mother’s leg because she knew Kelley was badly hurt. Charlie was able to give a detailed description of the intruder’s clothing, and when those items were later recovered, they closely matched her account.
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Charlie and Cullen Clayton Were Raised by Their Aunt and Uncle
Further investigation identified Michael Beard as the attacker and revealed why Charlie Clayton repeatedly believed the intruder was her father. Police determined that Beard had been wearing Thomas’ clothes during the assault and had been hired by him to carry out the attack. After Kelley’s death, Charlie and Cullen went to live with their aunt and uncle, Kim Bourgeois, Kelley’s older sister, and her husband, Corey. During Thomas’ sentencing hearing, Kim read a statement that included words written by Charlie herself. In it, the child said she loved her father but called him a “coward” for making Beard kill her mother.
Charlie and Cullen appear to have remained in New York with their aunt and uncle and have largely stayed out of public view. Charlie would be turning 18 this year, while Cullen is now around 13. The impact of what they experienced was profound; according to statements from Kim, both children were deeply affected by the loss. Charlie, in particular, rarely spoke about her mother in the years that followed. While they have been surrounded by care and support, nothing can truly replace what they lost so young. Still, there is hope that, away from the spotlight, they have found some measure of peace and stability as they grow up.
