HONESDALE, PA — Wayne County District Attorney A.G. Howell on August 15 announced that Michael Alexander Crowl, 26, of Lake Ariel, PA, entered a guilty plea to murder in the third degree for causing the death of a three-month-old baby on November 10, 2023.

Crowl continues to be held at the Wayne County Correctional Facility pending sentencing on October 10.

On November 10, 2023, at approximately 10:42 a.m., a Wayne Memorial Hospital (WMH) Emergency Room nurse contacted the PA State Police at Honesdale (PSP-Honesdale) that the victim, three-month-old Jasper Cole Sheppard-DeGroot, came into Wayne Memorial Hospital, via ambulance from 340 Tannery Road, Lake Ariel, South Canaan Township, Wayne County, PA.

The nurse at WMH related that Jasper appeared to have a dulled or reduced level of alertness or consciousness, he was pale, his lips were gray, his skin had blotchy/spotty marks, and his breathing was gasping and slowed.

A toxicology was conducted, and it came back negative. She said no visible, observable injuries were noted. A CT scan showed possible aspiration in Jasper’s lungs, possible anoxic brain injury (lack of oxygen), and possible pneumonia.

Jasper was life-flighted to Geisinger, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). Jasper’s grandmother, Rana DeGroot, told the nurse at WMH that Jasper’s mother, Rachel Sheppard, was not in the picture having moved to Kentucky about one month prior, and that the father, Adam DeGroot, had left approximately four to five days ago and has not been seen or heard from since.

At approximately 10:50 a.m., the troopers contacted Geisinger PICU, via telephone, and advised that they call and request a criminal investigator if they do suspect neglect or abuse.

After further evaluation, monitoring, and testing, at approximately 2 p.m., doctors at Geisinger, PICU notified Wayne County CYS, PSP-Honesdale, and the county district attorney’s office that they believed the injuries to Jasper appeared to be nonaccidental.

Geisinger Child Abuse Pediatrician, Dr. Pat Bruno, opined that the trauma to Jasper was non-accidental and that Jasper experienced substantial amounts of pain before going unresponsive. Jasper was declared brain dead, and he was currently on life-support, as the family wished to have his organs donated.

Dr. Pat Bruno’s report detailed the constellation of Jasper’s physical and X-ray findings are consistent with abusive head trauma precipitated either by impact, shaking, or shaking and impact.

The constellation of findings included subdurals, retinal bleeds, neck ligamental injuries along the dorsal aspect of the cervical spine at the level of C3-C4, posterior scalp swelling, and spinal bleeds, all of which can be caused by a shearing-type injury caused by inertial forces, and probably precipitated by impact or shaking or shaking and impact.

There was also a slit-like appearance of the lateral ventricles due to increased intracranial pressure and swelling. There was also an inferior herniation of the cerebellar tonsils and a large dorsal epidural hematoma extending from C2-S2 and measuring up to 8mm in thickness (due to significant injury to the cervical vertebral area).

At approximately 5:30 p.m., Montour County Coroner, Scott Lynn, contacted PSP-Honesdale and spoke with troopers.

Lynn advised that Jasper was on life-support, as his organs were going to be considered for donation.

Lynn advised that he interviewed Jasper’s grandmother, Rana DeGroot, grandfather, Adam Matthew DeGroot, and the defendant, Michael Alexander Crowl, who were at the hospital.

Lynn advised that after speaking with Crowl, he was escorted off the property because he was not a family member. Lynn advised that the statements of the grandparents were consistent. Lynn further advised that he believed the defendant to be a suspect for the cause of injuries to Jasper, as he was under Crowl’s care from November 9, 2023, at approximately 8 p.m. to November 10, at approximately 3:30 a.m. Lynn documented the time of death as November 13 at 5:10 p.m.

On November 13 at 9 p.m., troopers completed a nighttime search warrant at the Tannery Road residence.

The troopers made entry to the upstairs bedroom on the west side of the house where the victim supposedly had slept. In the bedroom was a bassinet as well as a bed/mattress which was positioned on top of two tables. A white pillow was observed on top of the bed which had dried droplets of suspected blood. The pillow, along with the fitted bed sheet with suspected baby formula/throw-up, were photographed and seized from the room. Michael Crowl’s Motorola cell phone with duct tape was located in the downstairs living room on a table on the north side of the room, which was photographed and seized by troopers.

Contact was made with grandparents, Rana DeGroot and Adam Matthew DeGroot, and father, Adam DeGroot, and all three agreed to come to PSP-Honesdale for interviews. They were subsequently interviewed.

Michael Alexander Crowl was located at a Red Roof Inn in Danville, PA, and brought to PSP-Honesdale for an interview.

Michael Crowl

Interview with Crowl

On November 14, 2023, at approximately 12:44 a.m., troopers interviewed Crowl in person at the PSP-Honesdale station. Crowl was read Non-Custodial Warnings. Crowl acknowledged understanding his rights and agreed to the interview.

Crowl said beginning in August 2023, he was living with the DeGroots at 340 Tannery Road, Lake Ariel, PA.

Crowl worked for the DeGroots for room-and-board. Crowl would do whatever they wanted him to do, like mow the lawn, or babysit the Victim.

Crowl related that Rana (DeGroot) was the victim’s primary caregiver since his father and mother left. Crowl said that he would fill in when Rana needed help, or needed to sleep. Crowl related that his responsibilities would be to feed, change, and burp Jasper.

Crowl confirmed that Jasper’s father, Adam DeGroot, left approximately one week before Jasper went to the hospital.

Troopers asked Crowl to give the details leading up to Jasper being taken to the hospital. Crowl explained that Jasper was throwing up the day before.

Crowl said he took Jasper to bed with him but he only slept approximately one to one and a half hours and woke up crying. Crowl believed it to be normal because Jasper was sick. Crowl related Jasper would not go back to sleep, and that he was still crying.

Crowl made Jasper a bottle, but he did not want the bottle. Jasper eventually fell asleep in his arms, but he didn’t sleep long, and he was up again.

Crowl said that he was tired and at approximately 0400 hours, he decided to bring Jasper down to Rana DeGroot. Crowl related that when he went downstairs, and when he was by the coffee pot Jasper started to have seizures.

Crowl told Rana that due to the lack of sleep, he was having a hard time remembering what happened. They called 911.

Jasper’s grandfather held Jasper the entire time until the ambulance got there. Crowl rode in the back of the ambulance to the hospital.

After further questioning, Crowl was asked what he did to the baby. He said he didn’t do anything, that he just put Jasper down to bed. He was asked again what he did to the baby. Crowl related that he did not know. Troopers told Crowl that they believed that he did know what happened.

Crowl began to cry and said he fell with the baby. Crowl was asked to demonstrate how he fell, and during his demonstration, the troopers believed he was trying to minimize how it happened. Crowl related that Jasper must have bumped his head in the process. The troopers explained to Crowl that his story was not believable, and Crowl was asked to tell what really happened.

Crowl eventually admitted to shaking Jasper because Crowl was frustrated, and tired, and Jasper would not sleep. Crowl demonstrated how he shook Jasper using a notebook and a trooper’s forearm. Crowl showed how he was holding Jasper under his arms and he shook Jasper back and forth.