AUSTIN DAVIS - 3 yo (2014)/ Charged: Mother; Megan McKeon - Steamboat Springs, CO

Three-year-old boy dies after being left alone overnight by mom for the TWENTIETH time - and she thought it was OK because he had 'food, juice and a movie playing'

By David Mccormack Published: 21:02 EST, 3 April 2014

A young mom has been charged with child abuse after she left her young son home alone while she went to work and then didn't return until the next day.

When Megan McKeon returned to her home in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, 20 hours later she found her young son, Austin Davis, lying face up with his eyes open. He was immobile and showed no signs of life.

Investigators say McKeon's home, described as a cabin at a local campground, was in chaos, with human waste and partially eaten food tossed around.


Megan McKeon, 24, has been charged with child abuse resulting in death after leaving her son, Austin Davis, home alone in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, for 20 hours and then returning to find him dead.


Investigators say McKeon's home, described as a cabin at a local campground, was in chaos, with human waste and partially eaten food tossed around

McKeon, 24, tried to plead guilty to three misdemeanor counts in court on Thursday, but District Attorney dropped those and instead charged her with child abuse resulting in death, a felony who carries a much longer sentence.

According to police, McKeon left to go to work at a local supermarket on Wednesday, March 26 and didn’t return until Thursday morning, March 27.

McKeon told detectives she had left food, juice and a movie playing for her son. She also told detectives she had left him home alone on a regular basis, about 20 times before.

After her shift, McKeon reportedly spent the night at the home of an unnamed boyfriend before heading home the next morning, reports Denver Westworld.


When the prosecutors dropped the original charges against McKeon, Charity O'Konski, the dead boy’s grandmother shouted, ‘She killed a baby'


The boy's father, Tyler Davis, 22, was in prison at the time of Austin's death after he was arrested for not registering as a sex offender

When the prosecutors dropped the original charges against McKeon, Charity O'Konski, the dead boy’s grandmother shouted, ‘She killed a baby,' reports CBS4.

Outside court O’Konski said she would have been happy to care for Austin if she had known the circumstances.

'All she had to do was call me. There’s no if, ands or buts to what happened, it’s her fault no matter what happened. She is accountable for that baby,' said O’Konski.

'Nothing is ever going to be enough, because he will never come back to us but she took his life away and the only way to take her life away is to let her sit behind those bars and let her think about what she did.'


A doctor who tried to save Austin’s life was concerned the boy possibly had ingested prescription medication or other substances

A guilty plea to the original charges would have only carried a maximum sentence of 42 months.

The district attorney said that would not be sufficient punishment for the crime so he dropped the charges. He hopes to file felony child abuse resulting in death charges against McKeon.

The district attorney is waiting for an official cause of death for Austin. The coroner and investigators are waiting for toxicology reports to come back which will take at least two weeks.

A doctor who tried to save Austin’s life was concerned the boy possibly had ingested prescription medication or other substances. McKeon’s bond was set at $250,000.

The boy’s father, Tyler Davis, 22, was in prison at the time of Austin's death after he was arrested for not registering as a sex offender after allegedly going up to multiple underage teen girls and offering them money for sex.

http://denver.cbslocal.com/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=10012206

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2596613/Mom-charged-child-abuse-leaving-son-3-home-returning-20-hours-later-dead-surrounded-human-waste-half-eaten-food.html

She did not check on him for at least 20 hours.  That little angel should not have been alone for 10 minutes.  Poor little one dying alone probably hungry, cold, dirty.  It was more important to sleep with a boyfriend than check on her own son.  She should get the death penalty.  William

Poor baby died all alone while is mother spent the night with another man. She is not fit to have children. Sterilization along with a life sentence to think about what she did should be her sentence. I hope she doesn't get off with a slap on the wrist.

Absolutely shocking.  She needs to rot in prison.  She shouldn't be let out until she's an old lady.  Old and unable to breed.

Mom accused in death of 3-year-old boy

KUSA
6:52 p.m. MDT May 7, 2014



KUSA - Investigators say 24-year-old Megan McKeon was staying with her boyfriend and left her son, Austin Davis, alone for more than 90 hours.

He had food, juice and a movie playing in the family's cabin in Steamboat Springs. When she returned home, Austin wasn't breathing and paramedics couldn't revive him. Austin's grandmother told 9NEWS that he died from extreme dehydration.

Wednesday, a Routt County Judge set a new court date for August.

McKeon has been charged with two counts of felony child abuse resulting in death. She remains in custody with bond set at $250,000.

http://www.9news.com/story/news/crime/2014/05/07/mom-accused-in-death-of-3-year-old-boy/8829661/

She pleaded guilty to one count and now I forgot if she was sentenced yet - New360 also
22 years - gotta find this on a real news site so I can type a link

Montereyherald- darn I hit other tab to get more of link and it disappeared

That charge was dropped because the prosecutor didn't think the 42 months that charge carried was enough.

The refiled charges carry a much longer sentence.