An Oregon man has been charged with second-degree child neglect after his 2-year-old son drowned in a river near their home. The incident occurred in Siletz last year.
Aaron Scott Paulsen told police he was binge-watching a sitcom and playing games on his phone when he saw his son Dane leave the house through a sliding glass door. The boy was last seen in the backyard on March 1, 2025, and his body was recovered from the Siletz River 10 days later. Dane's mother, Chamet Jackson, had left the child with Paulsen in the living room after bringing him inside. She later heard a knock and thought the baby was out but did not check immediately. Paulsen and Jackson said Dane loved water but could not swim. This was not the first time Dane had wandered off. When he was 18 months old, a teenager found him walking alone on a highway near the home wearing only a diaper. Paulsen was indicted in October 2025 and pleaded not guilty. His next court date is scheduled for June 22, with a jury trial set for July.