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Published: Wednesday, June 20, 2007Tape holds in pacifier; infant dies
The infant’s mother taped a pacifier to his mouth before a nap and bound him in pajamas to calm him, the parents tell police.

By Jackson Holtz
Herald Writer

LAKE STEVENS – The mother of a 4-month-old boy found dead Monday told police she had taped a pacifier to the baby’s mouth before putting the infant down to sleep.

Bonnie Desmond, 19, said she woke up around 11 a.m. Monday and discovered her son, Noah James Petersen, had stopped breathing, according a police affidavit.

On Tuesday, Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Mark Roe charged Desmond with first-degree manslaughter. An Everett District Court judge ordered her held on $500,000 bail.

The child’s exact cause of death remains under investigation by the Snohomish County medical examiner.

The Lake Stevens woman called 911 about a half-hour after finding Noah unconscious, police said.

Rescue crews arrived but the child appeared blue, a sign he was dead, court documents said.

“The only thing I can think of is I taped the pacifier to keep it from falling out. I didn’t know it would hurt him, or I wouldn’t have done that,” police said Desmond told them.

Using anything to hold a pacifier in place in a child’s mouth can be dangerous, pediatricians said.

Desmond and the baby’s father, the woman’s fiance, 20, cooperated with police, Lake Stevens Police Cmdr. Dan Lorentzen said.

Desmond told police the boy’s arrival placed a strain on the couple’s finances and relationship, according to court papers.

On Monday morning, the father left for work without checking on the baby because he was “running late,” according to the documents.

Police do not plan to arrest the father, Lorentzen said.

A swaddling blanket had been used to calm the infant in the past, the father told police. He referred to the blanket as a “baby strait jacket,” court documents said.

On Sunday night, the mother apparently couldn’t find a swaddling blanket. Instead, she tied the infant’s arms close to his body using pajamas, the father told police.

Desmond told police she had fed the child peanut butter on Sunday. Police found peanut butter and a large soup spoon in the kitchen of the home.

Most pediatricians recommend waiting until a child is about 2 years old before feeding them peanut butter, said Dr. Agnes Wong, of the Children’s Clinic of South Snohomish County.

Many children have peanut allergies, she said. They also can choke.

Using tape or any other device to hold a bottle or pacifier in place in a child’s mouth is dangerous, said Dr. Carlos Villavicencio, pediatric medical director at Providence Everett Medical Center.

On Monday, police searched the boy’s home, a rental apartment in the 2600 block of Lake Drive. They seized baby clothes, adhesive tape and pacifiers, according a search warrant.

Roe said he expected Desmond to return to court today to argue for a reduction in bail.

If convicted as charged, Desmond could be sentenced to between 61/2 and 81/2 years in prison, Roe said.

A child’s death is always difficult, and it is especially hard when he is this young, Wong said.

“Any time any child dies it’s a tragedy, it’s devastating,” she said.

Herald writer Jim Haley contributed to this report.

The mother woke up around 11:00 a.m.????? How many mothers with infants get to sleep until 11 o’clock?

The mother gave the child peanut butter????? I really do not understand why God allows people like this to have kids. I know we are not suppose to question Him. But, in this case, I just can’t help but wonder.

She murdered this baby and the most she will get is 8 1/2 years????? Take off the “good behavior” time and she’ll be out in time to have more kids that she does not know how to take care of.

“ she tied the infant’s arms close to his body using pajamas, the father told police.”  Why on earth would anyone tie an infant’s arms to it’s body? What could a 4 month old boy possibly do to warrant this?

The father is not being charged in this case. OK….maybe, he wasn’t there when the child died. But, he knew about the infant’s arms being tied. And, let’s get serious here……the probability of this being the first time that she taped the pacifier to his mouth is really small. This father needs to be charged with being an accessory. If not to murder, then to child abuse.

This is so sad.