Eric Richard Boudreau, a 32-year-old man, was arrested in Washington state last week due to the death of a 13-month-old infant boy he was babysitting late last year. Boudreau was charged with one count of second-degree murder. The Lacey Police Department (LPD) stated that the arrest was made following a long and thorough investigation.
On November 11, 2022, LPD officers and firefighters responded to a 911 call in the 9000 block of Campus Glen Drive Northeast at a residence. Medics got a heartbeat from the victim after performing 16 rounds of CPR, and he was then airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where he was pronounced dead. The King County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the toddler’s death resulted from blunt force trauma to the head.
The victim’s mother told police she had left the child under Boudreau’s care while she was at work, as his daycare was closed. The victim’s father stated he heard Boudreau tell the crying toddler to “shut up” earlier that day.
In an interview with investigators, Boudreau said he had drank several beers and smoked marijuana the night before, but he believed he was still able to watch the toddler. He also said he had fallen asleep with the child, and when he woke up, he found him injured at the bottom of the stairs.
The LPD conducted a thorough investigation and determined that the injuries sustained by the toddler were not consistent with a fall down the stairs.
According to the paramedics who treated the toddler, there was not a single square inch of the baby’s body that was not bruised. One medic reported that the child’s injuries were the worst he had ever seen in 17 years of service.
Based on the evidence, Boudreau was arrested and charged with one count of second-degree murder. The LPD stated that the arrest was made following a long and thorough investigation. The case is still ongoing, and Boudreau is currently awaiting trial. If convicted, he could face up to life in prison.