Beaverhead County Jail
The woman stood before a judge on Oct. 28 and entered a not guilty plea to one count of deliberate homicide, just one week after the "overwhelmed" mother turned herself in before police discovered the decomposed body of her disabled 2-year-old son in a pile of laundry and trash.
Nichole Lynn Boyer -- the Montana mother who was charged with deliberate homicide after police discovered the decomposed body of her 2-year-old son in her home -- has pleaded not guilty.
According to a report from KXLF-TV News, Boyer stood before Judge Luke Berger at the Beaverhead County District Court in Dillon on Oct. 28 and entered a not guilty plea to one count of deliberate homicide.
The not guilty plea comes just one week after the mother turned herself in. Boyer's son, identified in court documents as S.B., was found in an advanced state of decomposition inside her Lima home on October 16.
The horrific discovery was made after 28-year-old Boyer herself called dispatchers to report that her son, who had been ill for months, had died, according to a report from East Idaho News (with additional details via Law&Crime). When a Beaverhead County Sheriff’s deputy arrived at the Main Street residence, Boyer allegedly said, "Just take me to jail."
According to an affidavit, investigators immediately noticed a strong odor upon entering the home. Deputies quickly “observed the smell of decomposing human remains” in a residence described as being in “poor condition,” filled with piles of trash, rotten food, and animal feces.
S.B., who suffered from severe disabilities including spina bifida, club feet, and hydrocephalus, was found in an upstairs bedroom. The boy's body was reportedly lying on a pile of laundry and trash next to a mattress, covered with a sweatshirt that Boyer claimed belonged to her. The room was noted to be filthy and cold, with an air conditioning unit running despite the outside temperature being around 44 degrees.
During an interview with investigators, Boyer allegedly told investigators she kept her son in a padded section of an upstairs bedroom and admitted that she became "overwhelmed" with caring for her father, S.B., and three other children, stating that her commitment to the special-needs toddler deteriorated in September.
Boyer told police she stopped checking on him several times a day to deliver food and water -- which she would leave on the floor so he could “army crawl” to it -- confirming that she "stopped giving him water sometime in September" and "didn’t know the last time she actually remembers [her son] eating."
When questioned about her failure to provide care, she allegedly stated that she "didn't prioritize him." She further elaborated on her guilt, reportedly telling investigators, “I believe I should have done more,” and agreed that her lack of care led to the child’s death, adding, “my lack of not paying attention and prioritizing other things over him led to him dying.”
Police stated that Boyer knew for weeks that S.B. was deceased but had "convinced herself he was still alive" until she finally called authorities.
Relatives interviewed by investigators said they had not seen or spoken to S.B. since September. Boyer’s own mother allegedly told detectives that her daughter made statements suggesting she was “a horrible mother” and would be "going to jail for life."
The other children and an adult living in the residence have been removed. Boyer is currently being held in the Beaverhead County Jail on a $500,000 bond.
According to KXLF, Boyer's attorneys requested a temporary release so that she could attend a memorial service for her son taking place on November 4th, which state attorneys objected. Judge Berger granted the defense's request not to cremate the boy's body until an expert can examine the evidence.
