Oregon Father Charged After 2-Year-Old Son Found Dead in River — Prosecutors Say He Failed to Watch the Child
LINCOLN COUNTY, OREGON — A tragic case in coastal Oregon has taken a legal turn after a father was indicted in connection with the drowning death of his 2-year-old son, who disappeared from the family’s property earlier this year and was later found in a river.
Authorities say Aaron Scott Paulsen, 30, is facing a charge of second-degree child neglect for failing to supervise his toddler, Dane Paulsen, who was discovered dead in the Alsea River in March — nearly 10 days after vanishing from their home.
A Frantic Search Ends in Tragedy
On March 1, the toddler was last seen playing in the backyard of his family’s rural Lincoln County home. His disappearance sparked a massive community search, involving volunteers, dive teams, and local deputies.
The heartbreaking discovery came March 11, when a volunteer diver found Dane’s body two miles downstream from his home. The medical examiner ruled his death as drowning, according to reports from KPTV and KATU.
Neglect Charge Filed Months Later
After months of investigation, a grand jury indicted Paulsen on October 16, accusing him of “criminal negligence” for leaving the toddler unattended long enough to endanger his life.
Court documents allege that Paulsen “did unlawfully and with criminal negligence leave [his son] unattended in or at a place for such period of time as was likely to endanger his health or welfare.”
The Lincoln County District Attorney’s Office says the father was legally responsible for the child’s care and failed to exercise “reasonable supervision.”
A warrant for Paulsen’s arrest was issued on October 23, with bail set at $20,000. His arraignment is scheduled for November 3.
Mother Disputes DA’s Findings
Dane’s mother, Cha Met Jackson, said she disagrees with the DA’s office, insisting the case involves more than negligence and that other individuals may have been involved.
“I heard him laugh — like somebody was tickling him — and then it was silence,” Jackson told KPTV. “And I was like, ‘Dane? Dane?’”
Jackson said she reported to investigators that she saw an unidentified man watching her and her son shortly before the disappearance, as well as another man photographing trail cameras near their property two weeks earlier.
Despite her suspicions, authorities have not linked any additional suspects to the case.
Ongoing Grief and Unanswered Questions
While prosecutors pursue the neglect charge against Paulsen, the mother says her family continues to seek answers about what truly happened the day Dane disappeared.
“We just want justice for our baby,” she told reporters. “We don’t believe this was an accident.”
Paulsen remains under investigation, and his case will be reviewed in Lincoln County Circuit Court next week.
What do you think — should parents face criminal charges when accidents like this happen, or do tragedies sometimes go too far in court? Share your thoughts and follow developing updates at ChicagoMusicGuide.com.