Stayton mom granted bail as she awaits trial for son's death in house fire

A Stayton woman charged with manslaughter and child neglect after her son was found dead in a house fire, was granted $50,000 bail Tuesday, after being held without bail since April 22. 

During the release hearing in Marion County Circuit Court, prosecutors said Jessica Pearce, 26, had come to the attention of child welfare services 18 different times over the past five years, but the defense said only two of these investigations were founded, one being the current case. 

As of late Tuesday afternoon, Pearce remained lodged in Marion County Jail. There is a status check on her case scheduled for court July 25. 

Pearce was away from home on Feb. 1, when Oregon State Police and firefighters responded to a house fire and found the body of two-year-old Christopher James Pearce.

Pearce says she was running errands and left the child at home with Jeramy Bender, a friend, in addition to two adults and a 12-year-old girl. She says without her knowledge, Bender left the toddler with the 12-year-old. 

Prosecutor Brendan Murphy said the toddler was left unsupervised and that there were flammable aerosol cans and loose wiring left around a fire pit in his play area. He said Pearce also used meth around her son and has a history of mental illness. 

Pearce has no criminal history. 

Bender was the first suspect during initial investigations. It was during the investigation Bender expressed concern about Pearce's parenting, defense attorney Sara Foroshani said. She said Pearce was fully cooperative with searches and interviews. 

"Her number one goal is to find out what happened to her child," Foroshani said. "She's going through something no human should have to go through— losing a child." 

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Pearce has two other children who are currently in child services, who she has been in communication through letters. She hopes to be able to have supervised visits while she awaits her trial. 

On April 23, officials with the Oregon Department of Human Services confirmed they had opened a Critical Incident Response Team investigation into Christopher’s death. The agency conducts CIRT investigations when a child, after having previous contact with DHS, dies or is seriously injured as a result of abuse or neglect.

“In the interest of public health, a CIRT seeks to identify systemic issues and generate recommendations for what can be learned, changed or corrected that might reduce future tragic outcomes,” DHS officials say.

The gallery was filled with Pearce's family and friends, which Judge Courtland Geyer said shows ties to the community and a support system. But Murphy said it was this same community that did not cooperate with the Department of Human Services, and made it difficult for the agency to find her. 

Geyer ordered Pearce, if released, to not provide care or supervision to any minor child and to not use any intoxicants, in addition to any conditions on her release agreement. 

Murphy said the state is seeking a substantial prison sentence. 

Reach Samantha Hawkins at shawkins@gannett.com or 503-798-1623.