The Horrific Exorcism M.rder of 13-Month-Old Amora Bain Carson

Amora Bain Carson suffered ‘inexplicable pain’ during the final hours of her life. She died after her mother’s boyfriend, Blaine Keith Milam, performed an ‘exorcism’ on her. The exorcism included sexual abuse. For 30 hours, Blaine beat the 13-month-old with his hands, fists, and objects to 'exorcise the demon from her.' Amora's mom, Jesseca Carson, watched movies as Blaine tortured Amora. When Amora's screams became too loud, she turned up the volume on the TV. She even told Blaine where Amora hid when the toddler ran out of the bedroom.

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Friends and family say Jesseca Carson was a loving mother before meeting Blaine Milam in 2007 at the age of 17. She loved Amora and did all the things mommies should do. But things changed after they met. Sure, Blaine called himself daddy to Amora, but he hid a darker side.

Jesseca initially moved in with Blaine and his mother, but they later rented a mobile home in Rusk County. Blaine was jealous and controlling, refusing to allow anyone to visit their home. He forbade Jesseca from leaving the mobile home without him. Arguments were constant. She cut off communication with her family. With Blaine's influence, she became deeply immersed in demonology and occult practices.

During this time, Jesseca’s father passed away. Blaine suggested she contact him through an Ouija board. The two sat with the board. It claimed Jesseca’s mother killed her father. It said she could find peace only if she “did something about it.” So, Jesseca started to believe she was possessed by a demon, just like Blaine. His tone and expressions, she would later tell police, convinced her of this.

Blaine, too, believed that using the Ouija board gave him special powers. He thought he had a unique connection with God and could communicate with Him.

The Exorcism of Amora Bain Carson

On December 1, 2008, Blaine told Jesseca that God had revealed to him that Amora was possessed by a demon named Martha, who wanted to kill them. Blaine believed Amora’s “early walking” was a sign of the possession. He claimed that Jesseca had caused Amora’s possession because of her lies, and that God was “sick of it.” Blaine said he would ask God how to perform an exorcism on Amora.

Though they considered hiring a priest to perform the exorcism, they were short on money. They pawned a few items at a local shop, but the cash wasn’t enough, so they bought cigarettes instead.

Blaine then decided he would perform the exorcism himself.

On Dec. 10 or 11, Blaine took Amora to the back bedroom. He tortured her for 30 hours, beating the sweet baby to death. He used his hands, fists, a wrench, a hammer, and other objects.

Blaine stopped the exorcism once to make a quick trip to Wal-Mart. Jesseca and Amora rode along.  He resumed the brutal exorcism when they returned to the trailer a few minutes later.

Amora is Dead

At 10:37 a.m. on December 12, Blaine called 911 reporting that his daughter was dead.  Paramedics found Amora “stiff and rigor,” and covered in bruises and abrasions. He and Jesseca both denied knowing what happened to Amora. Blaine went as far as to provide the officer with the names of “potential suspects” and said that whoever hurt his daughter should “be hung.”

Blaine told officers he and Jesseca had walked up the road to talk to a guy he planned to do some work for named Clark. They were gone about an hour and returned to find Amora unresponsive in a hole in the floor in the bathroom that he had been remodeling. He said she had a ‘blood ring’ around her mouth. He thought it looked like ‘she had been biting the insulation.’ He called 9-1-1, but Amora died before paramedics got there.

Investigators poked holes in Blaine’s story and immediately suspected him of Amora’s murder.

Meanwhile, Jesseca told detectives another version of events they described  as “bizarre.”

Inside the trailer, police found blood stains on the walls of one bedroom. They also discovered bloodied bedding and baby clothes, a blood-stained diaper, and wipes. A tube of Astroglide and a pair of jeans with blood stains were also present. They collected the items as evidence.

Police arrested Jesseca and Blaine and charged them with first-degree murder.

Police found out that Blaine called his sister, Teresa Shea, at about 9:30 a.m. He told her he found Amora dead. However, no one called 9-1-1 until over an hour later.

Forensic Examination Results

DNA confirmed the blood on the blue jeans belonged to Amora. Her death was ruled a homicide caused by blunt force trauma and possible strangulation.  

Amora’s autopsy showed she had been beaten so severely, that “the multitude of fractures to her skull connected with each other like a jigsaw puzzle.” her brain was torn, and she had no less than 24 bite marks across her body.  Eight bite marks matched Blaine’s dentation, and one matched Jesseca's.

She had spiral fractures in her arm and leg, showing they were twisted. Her torso was hit by a blunt object or squeezed until her ribs and sternum broke.

Her liver was torn and her vaginal and anal orifices were so torn that the vagina and rectum were connected. The forensic examiner said he had never witnessed that type of injury before.

She suffered from several additional serious injuries which included bleeding under the scalp, skull fractures, and bleeding between the brain and skull. She also had lacerations to the brain tissue, swelling, bruising, and bleeding in the brain. Additionally, there was bleeding around the optic nerves, in the eyes, and jugular vein. She had 18 rib fractures and multiple facial abrasions.

The underside of her tongue was lacerated, and she had been strangled. The forensic examiner found it impossible to identify which injury caused her death. This was because of the severity and many injuries involved.

Jesseca Talks to Detectives

Jesseca later told police that Amora acted like “Chucky” or “Pet Sematary.” She bit Blaine during the exorcism so hard it drew blood. 

She also confessed to hearing 'horrible screams' coming from the back bedroom.

She told Blaine where Amora was hiding when she ran out of the room.  Blaine told Jesseca that Amora got a hammer and was hitting herself on the head. She did not intervene because she thought a “demon was possessing her or whatever.”

She told detectives, “I heard the demon cry out and scream out.” And that she would “rather the child go to heaven now than spend a life with Satan having her soul.” She admitted she saw Amora's 'deformed head' after hearing sounds caused by blows to the head. She watched a movie as Blaine took her baby's life. She even encouraged Blaine to do whatever was necessary to rid the demon of Amora. 

Blaine confessed to a nurse that he killed Amora.

His sister, Teresa, visited Blaine in jail. He told her that he needed someone to dispose of evidence left in the trailer. He told her something was hidden under the trailer. Teresa called Sgt. Rogers, who was handling the case.

Sgt. Rogers obtained a search warrant for the trailer. In a hole in the floor of the master bedroom, detectives recovered a plastic bag containing a pipe wrench. Forensic testing determined the presence of Astroglide and remnants of Amora's diaper on the wrench. 

Blaine Confessed to Amora’s Murder

Shirley Broyles worked as a nurse at the Rusk County Jail in 2008. One evening, Blaine called her into his cell. He was crying and asked to speak to Sgt. Rogers. He told Broyles, “I’m going to confess. I did it. But Ms. Shirley, the Blaine you know did not do this. My dad told me to be a man, and I’ve been reading my Bible. Please tell jesseca I love her.” 

Guilty Verdicts

Blaine and Jesseca were tried separately.

At their trials, Blaine and Jesseca claimed they did not intend to kill Amora. Both pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Both insanity defenses were rejected. Blaine was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Jesseca was sentenced to life without parole. 

Blaine has had execution dates set twice but received a stay of execution each time. Supporters argue that he should not be put to death due to his mental disabilities. His last stay of execution occurred in 2022.

Sources:

https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/20/20-8253/187031/20210809154528676_Milam%20-%20SCT%202244.pdf

https://law.justia.com/cases/texas/sixth-court-of-appeals/2013/06-11-00112-cr.html

https://www.news-journal.com/news/police/man-on-death-row-for-2008-murder-of-child-in-rusk-county-granted-stay-of/article_dec181ac-5783-11eb-8fa6-47d2d01db7b9.html

https://thearc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Milam-Opinion.pdf

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/e-texas-mom-gets-life-term-in-baby-s-sex-1685774.php