The father-like figure accused of killing 2-year-old Jacob Pelletier 16 months ago became enraged over the boy’s soiled diaper and the food mess the child made on his bed, according to police records obtained Thursday.
Mark Heath, who was charged in the Dec. 11, 2017, beating death of Jacob, texted his aggravation over the mess to Jacob’s mom about an hour before police and an ambulance were called to the apartment.
“I fell back asleep woke up … and this is what Jake’s bed looks like,” he texted Alisha Pelletier, sending a photo of a bed covered with a dumped box of cereal, a bottle of root beer and a mango.
He was alone with the boy and babysitting while his mother was working. During an interview with police, he said Heath told police the boy’s diaper was soiled with “messy poop.”
Every morning, he said, “it’s a mess with him when he (expletive).”
The information was taken from a police affidavit that has been unsealed. Heath faces a charge of second-degree murder of Jacob.
Although Jacob died of blows delivered to his abdomen, police also say there were bruises and scratches on his face when paramedics and police discovered his nearly lifeless body. He died later at the hospital.
Alisha Pelletier testified that Heath called Jacob his “little buddy,” and Jacob called Heath “daddy.”
Pelletier said Jacob, the younger of her two boys, was Heath’s favorite. She said Heath would change diapers most times, but if they were soiled he would ask her to do so.
She admitted that both she and Heath decided not to take Jacob to the hospital for an earlier matter — he was vomiting — because they did not want the hospital to report his bruises to the Division for Children, Youth and Families. They had previous involvement with DCYF.
Man charged with boy's death enraged by messy bed and diaper, say Manchester police
MANCHESTER — The father-like figure accused of killing 2-year-old Jacob Pelletier 16 months ago became enraged over the boy’s soiled diaper and the food mess the child made on his
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