Alaskan mother allegedly killed 5-year-old son who suffered blunt force trauma

An Alaska mother is accused of killing her 5-year-old son after calling 911 to say someone had hurt the boy.

Cedar Sarten, 43, called 911 in Fairbanks, Alaska, on Oct. 14 and said her son had been injured by someone and the child was dead, the city’s police department said in a news release.

Sarten allegedly told police she had tried to call police the night before, but the call did not go through, the news release said.

When police responded to the home, Sarten opened the door with what appeared to be self-inflicted lacerations to the forearms, wrists, neck and head, police alleged. Her son was found dead in bed.

Inside the home, police claimed they found two knives and a 20-pound kettlebell weight with blood on it. There was a “significant amount” of blood in the apartment.

The autopsy showed the boy suffered blunt force trauma and there was evidence he was injured by a sharp object, the release said.

Police said they searched Sarten’s phone and reportedly discovered that she had not actually called 911 the night before.

Sarten was taken to a Seattle hospital to be treated for injuries and was arrested on November 5 on a warrant for first-degree murder. It was not immediately clear whether she has retained an attorney or entered a plea.

“We appreciate everyone’s patience as our detectives investigated this case,” Fairbanks Police Chief Ron Dupee said in a statement. “There is so much work that goes on behind the scenes during a murder investigation and I am very proud of the thorough work that has been done to ensure that we have a strong case and can hopefully provide some measure of justice to the victim’s family. ”

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Fairbanks police said they previously dealt with Sarten in 2020 after an officer allegedly saw her trying to harm the same boy during an incident at a hospital. It is unclear whether charges have been filed in that case.

Her son was identified in a GoFundMe as Robert “Bodhi” Gagner-Sarten. The GoFundMe was started in aid of his father.

“He was the sweetest, kind-hearted, loving little boy who wanted nothing more than to play and just be a kid,” the GoFundMe organizer wrote. “He always had the biggest smile on his face and could talk up a storm. He loved swinging, playing in his favorite park and always asked his school friends to play on the playground. He absolutely loved cheese pizza (his most favorite food in the world) and mozzarella sticks.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or visit www.childhelp.org. All calls are free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.