Neighbors react to 2-year-old's murder

ROBERTSDALE, Ala. (WALA) - The father of a boy stabbed to death in Noblesville Wednesday night said in a court appearance Thursday, "I have no rights. I killed my poor little baby. Please kill me."

Authorities said 2-year-old Michael Harrison was found dead from substantial head trauma Wednesday around 5 p.m. in Noblesville. Micah Harrison, 30, was charged with murder Thursday and a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf.

“It’s just hard to believe that something like this can happen right here and right in my back yard,” said Harrison’s neighbor, Lynn Bainbridge. “When you see those kids playing in the swimming pool this summer and just being out there riding their trikes and stuff around the yard, it’s just hard to believe the baby is gone.”

Bainbridge was a neighbor to the Harrisons for about a year and still owns the property adjacent to Harrison’s home.

“Troubled is a good way to describe Micah,” Bainbridge said.

Bainbridge said she learned early on that Harrison was a loner and had had problems with the law. 

The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office said Harrison has an arrest record dating back to 2003 with charges ranging from menacing to assault and drug possession.  Deputies said they have been called to his home for domestic violence several times.

“Mr. Harrison was the subject of at least three domestic violence incidents, however, he was not ever officially charged with any domestic violence cases,” explained Captain Steve Arthur with the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office.

Bainbridge said that while she’s very disturbed to hear of the child’s death, she’s not completely surprised to hear that Harrison is charged with the murder.

“Knowing his background and knowing that he continued that kind of lifestyle even though he had three children did not surprise me,” she said.

Harrison has two daughters and Bainbridge isn’t sure how she’ll be able to approach them about their brother’s death.

“How do you even approach a pre-school child who’s lost a sibling, you know?” Bainbridge said. “How much of that will they even understand?”

Authorities said Micah Harrison was in Indiana visiting family.

According to court documents, Harrison attacked a utility closet with a hammer on Wednesday, saying someone was trying to kill him. A woman in the Noblesville apartment with him took the hammer from him, hid it, and told him there was no one there.

He had his first court hearing on January 10 where he asked the judge for a rope and begged to be killed for taking his son’s life. 

The judge entered a guilty plea on Harrison’s behalf and ordered him to be held with no bond.  A trial date has been set for March 12.