Infant found dead in Lake Stevens home

Mother charged with manslaughter BY PAM STEVENS | EDITOR Lake Stevens Fire responded to a 911 call on the 2600 block of Lake Dr. on Monday morning, June 18 where the young mother reported that her infant son was unconscious and not breathing, however, when they arrived they found the four-month-old had died a few hours earlier.

Bonnie M. Desmond, 19, and her fiancé, Justin Petersen, 20, lived in the basement apartment of the home and according to neighbors, moved in about eight months ago.

Desmond told authorities that she had taped the baby’s pacifier to his face to keep it from coming out of his mouth. However, when she found the infant dead she tore it from his face before calling her fiancé and then the authorities.

During their investigation, detectives found other pacifiers that had sticky residue on them which are thought to have been taped to the infant’s mouth on previous occasions.

After Desmond had heard detectives talking about sudden infant death syndrome she told them about the taped pacifier.

There was evidence that the child had been bound by Desmond the night before his death.

Desmond admitted to feeding the infant peanut butter earlier that night.

Neighbors claim that Desmond and Petersen weren’t seen very often and kept to themselves but that they were aware of a baby in the home. There had not been problems at that residence as far as they knew.

Desmond grew up in Stanwood where she attended school but left before graduating.

Petersen is not under investigation in the baby’s death. Both he and Desmond have been cooperating with the investigation Commander Lorentzen of the Lake Stevens Police Department said.

Desmond has been charged with first degree manslaughter with bail set at $500,000. She is currently in Snohomish County Jail.

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