Newly released court documents reveal that an Oregon father was reportedly “binge-watching” a TV show when his toddler disappeared from their rural home and subsequently drowned in a nearby river.
Aaron Paulsen is facing charges of child neglect following the death of his 2-year-old son, Dane, who was reported missing in Siletz on March 1, 2025.
According to court documents obtained by KATU, Paulsen was watching TV when Dane exited through the back sliding glass door of their riverside home unaccompanied.
The child’s mother, Cha Met Jackson, had reportedly instructed Paulsen to watch over Dane while she was away, as claimed in the latest legal documents.
Prosecutors allege that Jackson later informed law enforcement she heard Dane knocking on the trailer door while she was inside, thinking “oh sh-t, the baby’s out.” However, she did not open the door, opting to continue cleaning inside the vehicle.
During a November court hearing, District Attorney Jenna Wallace disclosed that “Dane was left unattended for about 15 minutes before [his] parents noticed that he was missing,” as reported by the Lincoln Chronicle.
Investigators later found a toddler’s footprint by the riverbank near the home and a toy Dane had been playing with before he vanished.
The documents obtained by KATU indicate that the parents were aware of Dane’s fondness for water, his lack of fear of it, and his inability to swim.
Following an extensive 11-day search, an independent diver discovered the toddler’s body in the Siletz River.
Court documents also highlighted a troubling history of neighbor complaints about Dane and his older sister being seen playing outside unsupervised.
Prior to residing in Siletz, a neighbor had reported potential child neglect, stating it was not uncommon for the family’s daughter to be left unsupervised outside for 30-60 minutes as a toddler, according to the outlet.
A teenager also recounted seeing Dane standing alone on a highway, clad only in a diaper and a blue sweater, before returning him to his home.
In October 2025, a grand jury indicted Paulsen, who subsequently pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor child neglect charges, as reported by the Lincoln Chronicle.
A recent motion indicates that Oregon intends to summon 20 witnesses to testify at Paulsen’s trial.
