Eagan Father Who Drunkenly Rolled On, Suffocated Infant Son Sentenced
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 31-year-old Eagan man learned Wednesday he will serve 10 days in jail on the anniversary of his infant child's death for the next three years, according the Dakota County Attorney's Office.
The judge also sentenced Nathan Scott Savage to 60 days in jail and 10 years of probation in connection to the death of his infant son. He pled guilty on Oct. 29, 2014 to one felony count of second-degree manslaughter.
The infant, identified as Nolan Scott Sikich, was found dead shortly before 6 a.m. on Oct. 19, 2013. He was less than two months old at the time of his death.
On the day of the incident, Eagan police were called to the residence where Savage lived with the child's mother. Upon arrival, they heard the child's mother yelling at Savage in regards to the child, who firefighters found unresponsive and tried to resuscitate.
An officer spoke with Savage and believed he was intoxicated after smelling a strong odor of alcohol on him. Savage later admitted to police that he had been drinking the evening before.
Savage told police that sometime between 10 p.m. and midnight on Oct. 18, 2013, he laid Sikich down on his bed that he shares with the boy's mother, because he was fussing. Savage said that eventually they both fell asleep.
At approximately 5:55 a.m., Savage said he woke to the child's mother shaking him, asking where the child was, according to the complaint. Savage said that was when he realized he had been laying on top of Sikich.
An autopsy ruled the cause of death as "asphyxia due to probably overlay." The manner of death was listed as "accidental," according to the criminal complaint.
"This was a preventable tragedy and underscores the great danger associated with co-sleeping with an infant," Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom said at the sentencing. "The risk of harm was further escalated by the intoxication of this infant's father. Our deep sympathy is extended to the young victim's family."
