Montana Mom Admits She ‘Stopped Giving Water’ to Disabled Toddler Found Decomposing in Pile of Laundry: Police

LIMA, MONTANA — A 28-year-old Montana mother has been arrested and charged with deliberate homicide after her disabled 2-year-old son was found decomposing inside their home, police said. The mother allegedly admitted she “stopped giving him water” weeks before his death, saying she felt “overwhelmed” and “didn’t prioritize him.”

According to court documents obtained by East Idaho News, Nichole Lynn Boyer called authorities on October 16 to report that her son had been “sick for months and was now deceased.” Deputies with the Beaverhead County Sheriff’s Office arrived at her home on Main Street in Lima and were immediately met with the “smell of decomposing human remains.”

Child Found Decomposing in Filthy Home

Deputies said Boyer greeted them with the words, “Just take me to jail.” Inside, they found a home littered with trash, rotten food, and animal feces, according to the affidavit.

In an upstairs bedroom, emergency responders discovered the 2-year-old boy’s body “on a pile of laundry, bedsheets, and trash” next to a mattress. The child was covered with his mother’s sweatshirt and already in an advanced state of decomposition.

The room was described as “filthy,” with an air conditioner running despite 44-degree temperatures outside.

Mother’s Confession: ‘I Didn’t Prioritize Him’

Boyer reportedly told investigators her son suffered from spina bifida, hydrocephalus, and club feet, conditions that made him unable to walk. She said she would set food on the floor so he could “army crawl” to it — but eventually stopped feeding or checking on him regularly.

“I believe I should have done more,” Boyer told police. “My lack of not paying attention and prioritizing other things over him led to him dying.”

Investigators said she stopped providing food and water in September, admitting she “didn’t remember the whole month.” Boyer claimed she convinced herself her son was still alive even though she knew he had died weeks earlier.

Tragic Neglect and Arrest

Boyer reportedly told officers she had become “overwhelmed” by caring for her three other children and her father, leading her to “stop caring” for her special-needs son altogether.

When asked if the boy had starved or frozen to death, Boyer replied that she didn’t know. Investigators said she admitted she knew he was dead for weeks before finally calling authorities.

Boyer is now being held without bond in the Beaverhead County Jail and is expected to appear in court Tuesday morning.

If you or someone you know is struggling with parental stress or mental health issues, help is available 24/7. Call or text the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-943-5746.

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