Stayton mom faces manslaughter, neglect charges after son's house fire death
Whitney WoodworthA Stayton woman whose 2-year-old son died in a suspected arson fire has been arrested on manslaughter and child neglect charges.
Jessica Pearce, 26, was picked up on a warrant Saturday by Aumsville police and taken to Marion County jail, where she is being held without bail.
On Feb. 1, Oregon State Police and firefighters responded to the three-alarm, residential fire on West Washington Street in Stayton and found the child's body.
Investigators said they were investigating the blaze as a possible arson.
Police confirmed Christopher James Pearce was the victim, but have not released additional information regarding the investigation.
Values clash:Developers eye wetlands as Oregon cities run out of buildable land
Authorities also have not revealed what Jessica Pearce did to allegedly cause her son's death.
Under Oregon law, criminal homicide constitutes second-degree manslaughter when an act contributing to death is committed recklessly. It could include scenarios wherein a person aids another person in committing suicide or causes the death of a child with criminal negligence.
Second-degree child neglect is committed when a person with custody of a child under the age of 10 leaves a child unattended for such a period of time as "may be likely to endanger the health or welfare" of the child, according to Oregon law.
Investigators have not disclosed the circumstances that caused the child's death.
But an indictment filed Monday accused Pearce of causing her son's death by neglect and maltreatment and with criminal negligence.
Prosecutors stated their intent to rely on several enhancement factors in court proceedings, citing the child's status as a vulnerable victim and the fact that prior sanctions had not deterred Pearce.
The notice also said her incarceration was "necessary for public safety."
Previous coverage:One child dead in a suspected arson fire at a Stayton home
During Pearce's arraignment Monday afternoon, prosecutors requested that she continue to be held without bail, citing her alleged neglect.
At the home, aerosol cans and loose wiring were allegedly found around a fire pit. Pearce also reportedly used meth around Christopher, according to prosecutors.
The judge ordered that Pearce be held without bail. Her next court appearance is scheduled for May 3.
Christopher lived at the home with his mother and has family in the Stayton and Aumsville area.
In the days after his death, his family declined to speak about the circumstances of the fire, citing the ongoing investigation. They described Christopher as a cheerful, loving toddler.
"He was the most happy-go-lucky kid you could imagine," his godmother Lynn Hansen said.
The last memory she has of Christopher is him almost bowling her over with an enthusiastic hug. He loved hugs, riding his scooter and being read to, she said.
Coastal icon:Erosion takes a bite - or two - from Oregon's Haystack Rock
"He was a special little boy," Hansen said.
Christopher's great aunts Karen Pearce and Teri Pearce Petre hosted the vigil outside the home where he died on Feb. 10.
"The whole family has been on a roller coaster of grieving, anger and sorrow," Pearce Petre, of Salem, said. "You can only take this for so long."
Anna Reed of the Statesman Journal staff contributed to this report.
For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodwort@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-399-6884 or follow on Twitter @wmwoodworth
Death investigation:Deputies find 55-year-old woman dead in rural Marion County residence, cause unknown