Oregon Father Charged After Toddler Drowns

In a tragic incident, an Oregon father is facing charges of child neglect following the drowning of his 2-year-old son, Dane. The child went missing from their rural home in Siletz on March 1, 2025, while his father was reportedly “binge-watching” TV shows.

Aaron Paulsen has been charged in connection with his son’s death. Newly released court documents reveal that Dane was able to leave the home through a sliding glass door while his father was occupied. The child’s mother, Cha Met Jackson, believed it was her duty to keep Dane inside after he had gone out.

Jackson recounted hearing her son knocking on a trailer door nearby, thinking he was just outside to play. However, she did not check on him and continued with her chores, according to prosecutors. District Attorney Jenna Wallace mentioned in a court hearing that the child went unnoticed for about 15 minutes before his parents realized he was missing.

Authorities later found Dane’s footprints and some toys near the river, where he ultimately drowned. The documents also noted that Dane loved the water and wasn’t afraid of it, but he didn’t know how to swim.

After an exhaustive 11-day search, divers eventually located his body in the Siletz River. Neighbors had previously expressed concerns about the children being left unsupervised. Reports surfaced indicating that Dane often played outside alone for extended periods, drawing attention to a concerning pattern of neglect.

In an alarming incident, teenagers had even spotted Dane wandering alone on a highway, dressed only in a diaper and a sweater, before returning him home.

A grand jury indicted Paulsen in October 2025, and he has pleaded not guilty to the charge of misdemeanor child neglect. The state is expected to call 20 witnesses to testify during the trial.