WEST HAVEN, Utah — The father, stepmother and brother of a 12-year-old were arrested on multiple child abuse felonies after the child died in the hospital with signs of a "prolonged pattern of abuse."
Shane Peterson, 46, faces multiple offenses including child abuse homicide, a first-degree felony and two counts of aggravated child abuse, second-degree felonies.
Nichole Scott, 50, was also arrested for child abuse homicide and aggravated child abuse, plus additional felonies.
Tyler Peterson, 21, was arrested for child abuse homicide and aggravated child abuse, among other charges, officials stated.
Arresting documents state that on July 9, deputies with the Weber County Sheriff's Office responded to a West Haven home on reports of an unresponsive 12-year-old child.
"The caller indicated that the child had been ill for several days, experiencing vomiting and was now not breathing," documents state.
CPR was performed on the child and he was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
When an examination was completed on the child's body, officials found that he had experienced malnutrition to the point where his organs had "shut down completely," arresting information states.
Officials seized the phones of Shane, Tyler and Nicole Scott, uncovering graphic details of the abuse the child suffered.
Surveillance cameras were also found to have been placed in the child's room, with images saved in Scott's phone of the child being abused.
"In most of the screenshots, the child is only wearing a heavily saturated diaper," arresting documents stated. "The child can be seen curling up on the carpetless floor of the room, which lacked bedding or blankets. Several screenshots also showed sores on the child's back."
Conversations between Peterson, Scott and a brother uncovered by police discussed hitting and beating the child with a pinata stick, not feeding him and only giving him one-third of a cup of water or a piece of bread with mustard, documents state.
"All of this messaging and evidence revealed a prolonged pattern of abuse over the course of several years."
On Thursday, neighbors, community members, and the boy's former schoolmates created a memorial outside the West Haven home. Families dropped off balloons, stuffed animals, and tied ribbons on the fence.
"It happened to be blue which is also child abuse awareness," said Brindy Lipham.
Lipham brought her children, some of the 12-year-old's former schoolmates, to honor him and send a message to other victims.
"To let other kids who are getting abused to let them know we care for them no matter what," said Brooklyn Lipham, the boy's former schoolmate.
"It makes you realize, 'Oh, maybe there's kids at my school going through this," said high schooler Rylee Lipham.
"He was too young to die," said Ryder Lipham. "He shouldn't have died."
Neighbors and family said his abuse was reported to the Division of Child and Family Services.
When asked if this was true, a DCFS spokesperson sent FOX 13 News their privacy guidelines, writing, "DCFS respects that each child and family has a right to privacy and remains firm in our commitment to that privacy for the children and families in Utah. DCFS will continue its practice and refrain from sharing specific information on a case, past or present."
They also sent a statement:
The loss of any child impacts and devastates us. This is tragic for so many from the family and the community to all of those involved. The Utah Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) works with children and families during some of their most vulnerable moments.
Utah law requires any person with reason to believe that a child has been subjected to abuse or neglect to make a report to DCFS or a local law enforcement agency. You can contact the 24/7 abuse and neglect hotline at 1-855-323-3237 or file an online report at www.dcfs.utah.gov/child-protective-services [dcfs.utah.gov]
"Our system is not the best and needs to do better," said Brindy Lipham.
In a press release sharing the news, Weber County officials called the case "extremely difficult," thanking those involved "for the countless hours worked to bring charges and their commitment to uphold justice."
An investigation into the child's death is active and ongoing.
