Baby found dead in swing 'died of diaper rash,' Iowa prosecutor says

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Omaha World Herald-AP

MOUNT PLEASANT, Iowa (AP) — A prosecutor in the trial of an Iowa father whose infant son was found dead and maggot-infested in a baby swing last year has told a jury the child "died of diaper rash."

Assistant Iowa Attorney General Coleman McAllister told jurors Tuesday that 4-month-old Sterling Koehn had been in the same diaper for nine to 14 days when his body was found in the swing Aug. 30, 2017, at his parents' Alta Vista apartment, the Courier reported.

The baby's father, 29-year-old Zachary Paul Koehn, is charged with murder and child endangerment. The boy's mother, Cheyanne Harris, is also charged and faces a separate trial at a later date.

McAllister said Tuesday in opening statements that the baby's heavily soiled diaper had attracted bugs that had laid eggs, which had hatched into maggots. The resulting diaper rash led to ruptured skin, and e.Coli bacteria set in.

FULL story at link below.

Read more: https://www.omaha.com/news/trending/baby-found-dead-in-swing-died-of-diaper-rash-iowa/article_fe8c90d8-0640-5196-b29a-ef96ff1cc05b.html

[xor]

1. Why? Like, how can someone do that?

Why would neither the father or mother perform basic care for their child? How can anyone do that?

[Turbineguy]

2. Drug addicts?

[Luciferous]

10. That's my guess.

[Dave Starsky]

12. I sure hope so.

I shudder to think that these people might have had all of their faculties, but nothing surprises me. People can be horrible beyond belief.

Security expert Gavin DeBecker, in his book The Gift of Fear, asks you to close your eyes and think of the absolute worst thing you can imagine one human being doing to another. Then consider that not only have tens of thousands of people throughout history imagined that same thing, but it is a certainty that someone has actually done it.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

18. Meth is a terrible thing. A scourge plaguing our nation.

[Equinox Moon]

3. The smell! How could they (parents) tolerate the smell?!

The odor would be shocking!

[Haggis for Breakfast]

19. They had placed him in a room and closed the door.

[Equinox Moon]

24. So tragic!!!!

[sdfernando]

4. OMG!

Throw these cretins in jail and throw away the key! Some people should not be allowed to procreate.

This poor child, can't imagine the suffering. RIP little sweet one.

[FakeNoose]

5. Good thing I'm not the judge hearing this case

I'd order mandatory sterility for both parents.

[secondwind]

6. That poor angel must have been in a world of pain.....

[marble falls]

7. Words fail.

[Totally Tunsie]

8. An eye for an eye...

Let these "parents" suffer the same fate. Dear God, who are these people?

[Mrs. Overall]

9. I really hate being brought to tears just from a headline.

I can't believe the capacity of people to inflict suffering on others.

And when it involves children, the elderly, the physically/mentally challenged, and animals--I just get furious.

[exboyfil]

11. So he is arguing that since his the hospital

did not blow the whistle on his wife's meth use, he is not responsible?

Really????

[red dog 1]

13. I assume that the mother is also charged with murder, because she deserves to be

Kick for exposure!

That poor innocent baby deserved a better fate.

(What a world we live in)

[ROB-ROX]

14. HANG THE BASTARD BABY KILLERS

These people should be sterilized to prevent them from having children. Then each person should be given life in prison where the other prisoners can kill the killers. There are too many people who should not be having children or around children. I only parented 6 children and none of them are in jail or prison......

[TexasBushwhacker]

15. The hospital let this child down horribly

His umbilical cord blood tested positive for meth. They didn't report it AND let him go home with his addict parents.

https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/koehn-murder-trial-warning-signs-started-as-early-as-slain/article_ec500f4f-bf89-5e4e-ac2d-909af78336c9.amp.html

[EllieBC]

21. Why would they have sent that baby home with those

creeps? A baby’s cord blood tests positive for drugs you don’t send that poor baby home with the addicts. Wtf??

[Judi Lynn]

16. Why wouldn't someone have demanded these people let their son get shelter elsewhere?

Their faces tell you they will never be ready to look after anyone, ever. Would you want either of them to park your car at a restaurant? I don't think so.

Zachary Koehn, Cheyanne Harris

[Ilsa]

17. Such selfish people, not surrendering their baby,

knowing they couldn't care for him.

I wish the hospital had been more aggressive getting social services after them.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

20. This angel did not die of diaper rash.

In medical terms, it is called Decubitis. Sadly, it is sometimes found in elderly patients in nursing homes who are not cared for appropriately by indifferent or untrained staff. Called, "bed sores," it is usually due to not turning patients often enough or getting them up out of bed for short periods of time AND thoroughly cleaning them and their bed linens.

This baby's Decubitis was clearly at Stage IV. That's where unchanged linens, uncleansed bodies and the accumulation of ammonia and fecal matter develop into open festering sores that become infected. Severe Sepsis usually follows. The body's immune system becomes overwhelmed and death follows.

That this child had MAGGOTS underneath his skin is revolting on a level that the English language cannot express. Words fail me here.

Animals in nature are better caregivers to their young and show, yes, love to their offspring that escaped these two sub-human junkies.

Save the taxpayers the money and drop these two from an airplane at 37,000 feet. It's better than what they truly deserve.

[liberaltrucker]

22. Nah, a couple of .38 bullets to the temple would be cheaper

[Haggis for Breakfast]

23. But not nearly as much fun.

And over way too quick. Plus we could tape it, put it on pay-per-view and make a fortune which we could then donate to charity.