Robert Jasper Baker

Robert Kermit "Jackie" Baker' s (1918-?) life is one of mystery. Not much information exists about this child's tragic life. His sister, Berniece claims in her book My Sister Marilyn: A Memoir of Marilyn Monroe, that her brother was simply "unlucky". However, current standards of child welfare would have had Social Services look into this child's unfortunate "accidents" as possible abuse. No birth certificate exists for little Jackie. This could be evidence that his parents were trying to hide the exact date of his birth, so it would not be compared to their wedding date. This information could show that the boy was conceived before their wedding. Nevertheless, it is believed that Robert Kermit Baker came into the world in January of 1918. (1) His sister tells a story of hearing how a young Jackie almost lost an eye early in his life. It seems that Gladys and Jap were arguing and a glass was broken. The young child picked up the broken glass and almost poked his eye out. (2) Then, at about the age of three the child fell out of a car while his parents were arguing. Jap blamed his wife for the accident saying she was not paying attention to her children. Because of the accident, Jackie walked with a limp. (3)

 After his divorce from Gladys, Jap kidnapped his children. Jap took Jackie to the hospital to help him with his leg. The little boy's leg was placed in a cast. When the cast was taken off, one leg was shorter than the other, because the cast had not allowed it to grow properly. It is around this time that Jackie was diagnosed with tuberculosis of the bone and placed in a Louisville hospital. (4) Jackie would be in and out of hospitals for the remainder of his life. His next "accident"  occurred at a Fourth of July picnic, when the boy was playing with firecrackers. He put one in a glass bottle and when it exploded he lost his right eye. (5)  Again, Jackie was hospitalized. Against the advice of the doctors, Jap took his son home. The little boy's kidneys began to fail him because they could not carry off the infection from his leg. It is at home that Jap Baker catherized his son. Jackie Baker would die a short time later from kidney failure. (6) At the time of his death, Jackie was only thirteen or fourteen years old.

1) The Marilyn Encyclopedia Adam Victor, The Overlook Press, Woodstock New York, 1999 Adam Victor s.v Robert Kermit "Jackie" Baker

2) My Sister Marilyn: A Memoir of Marilyn Monroe Berniece Baker Miracle and Mona Rae Miracle,Algonquin Books, Chapel Hill New York 1994, Berniece Baker Miracle and Mona Rae Miracle, 13.

3) Ibid. 13.

4) Ibid. 15.

5) Ibid. 15

6) Ibid. 15-16