Found Deceased Siletz, OR - 2yo Dane Paulsen, missing from yard of residence, 01 MAR 2025

[KooshBall]

A couple months ago Juan Heredia helped find the bodies of two brothers who drowned in Northern California. He is definitely a hero to many families. Stockton diver announces emotional recovery of 2nd California brother whose kayak capsized

 

[Warwick7]

Father charged in connection with Oregon boy’s drowning

The father of a toddler who drowned in the Siletz River near the central Oregon coast in March has been charged in connection to his death, according to court documents.

www.kptv.com

 

[Warwick7]

Father charged in connection with Oregon boy’s drowning

The father of a toddler who drowned in the Siletz River near the central Oregon coast in March has been charged in connection to his death, according to court documents.

www.kptv.com

I really don't know how I feel about this. My first reaction is: how is this going to benefit all of society? Really, locking up a grieving father for a miscommunication with the mother? I’m sure the family, after already losing their young boy, will benefit from losing another member of their family. Its bad enough we already live in trying times. Now let's tear the family unit completely apart.

Ok, so they had a grand jury. It could be there was enough evidence to show the little boy was neglected. However, we've also heard a grand jury can indict a ham sandwich.

I said at the beginning that I didn't know how I feel about this. But, maybe I do. I think this is the wrong call....

Quote from the article: "Dane’s mother, Chamet Jackson, told KATU News that her husband had just gotten home when Dane went missing and denied he played a role in their son’s death."

Father of 2-year-old Siletz boy who drowned last March indicted for second-degree child neglect

The father of a 2-year-old boy who drowned in the Siletz River in March after last being seen playing in his yard has been charged with neglect.

www.klcc.org

 

[ChatteringBirds]

I really don't know how I feel about this.

Agree; more information is needed.

 

[Knox]

Wow, this came out of the blue and surprised me. I guess the DA has his reasons for bringing this before a grand jury, but without specific details as to why. It seems heavy handed.

 

[Bounceycat]

Could Dad have possibly been under the influence of something and thus not able to adequately care for Dane? Just spitballing.

 

[Protectwomenandgirls]

Oregon prosecutor defends charging dad in 2-year-old boy’s drowning

Aaron Paulsen pleaded not guilty Monday to second-degree child neglect.

www.oregonlive.com

The prosecutor believes the charge is warranted because there was no barrier to the river when Dane was left unattended

 

[Serononin]

Maybe I'll change my mind when I hear the evidence, but this seems like a bad move by the DA's office, from a PR perspective if nothing else. This guy isn't Chris Scholtes. He's already going to be living with what happened for the rest of his life, and I don't see any reason at this point to think that he poses a risk to other children

 

[ChatteringBirds]

This is a heavily painful and difficult case.

The criminal charge seems based on him knowing his son went outside and maybe that they own the property and didn't try to block access to the river.
But I wish we could see photos of the property-- how easy or difficult and how expensive would it have been to fence in the yard or create a barrier that would actually work?

If there was an open trail leading from their yard to the river, he must have known about the danger but dropped the ball supervising his son outside that day. I doubt he thought his son would go to the river.

Still it would NOT be forgivable if he was taking care of someone else's child, in my opinion. Yet I am inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt here because he's living with losing his own baby boy.

My heart really goes out to this family. If it goes to trial, it will be a heartbreaking case for everyone.

And honestly my opinion is that lack of a fence or barrier might not be the point at all. Most homes have a danger nearby that's not blocked-off (such as a street in front of the home). So this case seems mostly about him knowing his son was playing outside alone near that danger.

How long was Dane knowingly alone outside before his father went to join him? It doesn't sound like very long, and I have always said you literally can't watch your child every second.

 

[Knox]

On Monday, Lincoln County Circuit Judge Sheryl Bachart banned Paulsen from contact with any child under 5 but allowed him to remain out of custody.

Oregon prosecutor defends charging dad in 2-year-old boy’s drowning

Aaron Paulsen pleaded not guilty Monday to second-degree child neglect.

www.oregonlive.com

Aaron isn't a danger to children. The prosecutor was on a witch-hunt, bringing a misdemeanor to a Grand Jury is proof of that, IMO.

 

[ferretnurse]

This charge seems excessive. There is an influencer who's husband let their toddler outside by himself with their uncovered in ground pool for at least 10 minutes, and the boy drowned. Her husband seems a lot more deserving of charges, but wasn't charged. To me, letting a toddler outside by a pool alone is neglect. Having a river in your backyard is not. Yes, they should've been watching him closer. But that could literally happen to almost anyone. How do you fence off a whole river, anyway?

 

[Hexe]

How do you fence off a whole river, anyway?

No need for that. Fencing properly your yard should do the job.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Does it amount to criminal negligence, though? I think most backyard drowning cases do not result in criminal charges, so what makes this case different?

 

[ferretnurse]

No need for that. Fencing properly your yard should do the job.

Depends on your child and how adventurous they are. I would climb fences to play with our neighbors by the time I was a preschooler, as did my friends. This was the mid 80s, but all I'm saying, is a fence won't stop a determined, curious child.

 

[Hexe]

Depends on your child and how adventurous they are. I would climb fences to play with our neighbors by the time I was a preschooler, as did my friends. This was the mid 80s, but all I'm saying, is a fence won't stop a determined, curious child.

It would stop two years old kid though.

 

[Blurgle]

It would stop two years old kid though.

Allow me to assure you through personal experience: a six foot high fence is not guaranteed to stop a two-year-old.

 

[Hexe]

Allow me to assure you through personal experience: a six foot high fence is not guaranteed to stop a two-year-old.

It still works better than no decent fence at all. Also it slows said two years old enough to give the adult time to intervene. No kid this age should wander around unattended and according to witnesses Dane did. Letting a two years old run around unattended is negligence, doing that while knowing there is a river in the potato throw distance from the backyard is a criminal negligence.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

According to which witnesses? Do you have a link regarding witnesses? Did any of them try to approach the child they allegedly thought was in danger to bring him to safety?

I personally don't believe so far that it's criminal negligence, because the father would have thought his son was near the house. When discovered not to be, he would have searched for him.

This sort of thing happens to parents around the world every day. Usually they find the child and everyone forgets about it. Some will try to claim this family's tragedy could never have occured in their family, because they forget about their own near-miss.

 

[Hexe]

I personally don't believe so far that it's criminal negligence, because the father would have thought his son was near the house.

A thought does not protect a child from danger. Keeping an eye on him does. Thinking that toddler would stay near the house is a wishful thinking.