5-month-old baby dead after 8 days of neglect [View All]

[Lennon]

:cry:

http://www.sj-r.com/News/stories/25672.asp

Benjamin Sargent died with his eyes open, fists clenched and strapped into a car seat after eight days without food or water, authorities say.

The 5-month-old was dropped off at his parents’ house on Feb. 4, wearing a bright-blue snowsuit and strapped into his car seat. Eight days later, he was found in the filth-strewn home in the same position, Peoria County State’s Attorney Kevin Lyons said Wednesday during a bond hearing for the parents, Tracy D. Hermann, 21, and James E. Sargent, 23, both of Peoria, who are charged with murder for their son’s death.

It’s the worst case of child neglect we have seen since the turn of this century,” Lyons said afterward. “(On Tuesday), I told (Peoria Police) Chief (Steven) Settingsgaard that this case even rattled me.