A state investigator has testified that a mother on trial in Le Mars for murder after her infant was found dead questioned her maternal care during an interview.
Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Agent Chris Callaway testified Friday that 21-year-old Cheyanne Harris told him she had changed 4-month-old Sterling Koehn, given him a bottle and put him in a baby swing the day before he was found dead Aug. 30, 2017.
Callaway also testified that Harris told him, “I should have checked on him more.”
An autopsy showed the baby died of malnutrition, dehydration and an E. coli infection.
First responders found him lifeless in a sweltering bedroom in a baby swing.
Callaway’s testimony came in the third day of Harris’ first-degree murder trial.
The infant’s father, Zachary Koehn, already has been sentenced to life in prison in the case.
Updated 5:07pm 2/1/19
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A woman who says she babysat an Iowa infant who was later left to die in a baby swing testified at the mother’s trial that the baby seemed underweight.
Jennifer Schriever, who had been a neighbor of 21-year-old Cheyanne Harris’, testified Thursday during the second day of Harris’ murder trial that she offered to babysit for Harris in July 2017.
Schriever said the first time she babysat, Harris left then-3-month-old Sterling Koehn and a 2-year-old girl with her for 17 hours.
Schriever said the baby had a raw diaper rash and seemed underweight, but ate hungrily.
Schriever said she babysat one other time before the baby was found dead Aug. 30, 2017.
An autopsy shows he died of malnutrition, dehydration and an E. coli infection caused by being left in a maggot-infested diaper for up to two weeks.
The boy’s father, Zachary Koehn, already has been sentenced to life in prison.
