Brian Owsinski, the 26-year-old suspect arrested and charged late last week in the murder of his girlfriend's two-year-old daughter in Woodbourne, has a child from a previous relationship who turns three this week.
Owsinski is accused of killing Amara Campbell, reportedly his current girlfriend's daughter, in Woodbourne. A source told The SullivanTimes that the girl's mother and Owsinski were brought to separate police stations for questioning.
Fallsburg Police Chief Simmie Williams and Sullivan County District Attorney Meagan Galligan issued a joint news release late Friday with some of the details.
They said that Owsinski was charged with Murder in the Second Degree, on January 26, 2022, following a joint investigation conducted by members of his force, the New York State Police and the Sullivan County DA’s Office.
It is alleged that, "between Monday, January 25, and Tuesday, January 26, 2022, Owsinski inflicted injuries upon the toddler that ultimately killed her. The child was discovered unresponsive at 14 Phoenix Lane in Woodbourne by police and EMTs responding to a 911 call at approximately 5:40 PM on Tuesday, and was transported to Garnet Health Medical Center - Catskills, where she was later declared deceased."
Owsinksi was initially charged with the felonious assault of Campbell and, following a completed autopsy, police upgraded the charge to murder.
“We mourn the loss of Amara and extend our deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathy to those who loved this innocent child,” Williams said. “Our police community will bring to bear all of our combined manpower and resources to ensure those responsible for heinous acts like this are brought to justice.”
Owsinski was remanded to the Sullivan County Jail without bail by the Fallsburg Justice Court. He is represented by the Sullivan Legal Aid Panel.
Williams thanked his partners in law enforcement, including the Liberty and Wurtsboro barracks of the State Police, the Sullivan County Child Advocacy Center, and Galligan’s Office for their immediate responses and dedication to the case.
(Screenshot of 14 Phoenix Lane in Woodbourne)
While a student in Fallsburg a little more than a decade ago, Owsinski was reportedly sent to a juvenile home from around 2008 to 2010 due to behavioral problems, according to a source familiar with the family.
Owsinski has five siblings. He is the oldest among his two brothers and also has three sisters.
In 2013, his father - then 39 and with the same name - was arrested and charged with felony assault and misdemeanor criminal possession of a weapon for a fight with Jason Helm (age 21 at the time) in Woodridge - that was described at the time by authorities as a domestic dispute.
Helm told The SullivanTimes Saturday that "we got into a brawl because he was highly intoxicated and blew cigarette smoke into my son's face when he was only five months old."
When Helm confronted him, he said the older Brian Owsinski then pulled out a knife and began to attack him and that's when Helm says he began to defend himself.
Both were arrested but Helm said he was ultimately cleared of any charges.
(Helm said that he has a child with one of the sisters of the suspect and was living in the Owsinski home at the time).
Tracy Grafal, the mother of the six Owsinki kids and wife of Brian Owsinski, had some choice words about the incident in a 2013 Facebook post, as seen below. (WARNING: Graphic language).
A further review of some of the Owsinki family members' Facebook pages reveals a family that has struggled for many years. It also showed that some, especially murder suspect Brian Owsinski, glorified gangster behavior. Once source said that all six children did not finish high school but that could not be independently confirmed.
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