Three years after a Lacey toddler was found covered in bruises, skull fractures, and catastrophic head injuries, a Thurston County jury convicted his mother’s boyfriend of murder.
Jurors found that 31-year-old Eric Boudreau caused the fatal injuries that killed 13-month-old J.A.M., rejecting his claim that the child tumbled down a staircase while in his care.
The verdict—returned Thursday, Nov. 13, after a four-week trial—included multiple aggravating factors, including deliberate cruelty and the abuse of a position of trust.
What Investigators Found
Lacey Police responded to a home on Campus Glen Drive on Nov. 11, 2022, after Boudreau—who was babysitting the child—reported the toddler had fallen down the stairs while he was asleep, according to court documents.
First responders found the boy unresponsive, severely bruised, and in life-threatening condition. Medics performed 16 rounds of CPR before detecting a faint heartbeat, investigators wrote. The child was ultimately airlifted to Harborview Medical Center but died later that evening.
Medical staff and first responders told detectives the toddler’s injuries were not consistent with a stair fall. Hospital records described extensive trauma, including skull fractures, brain hemorrhages, spinal injuries, and more than 100 separate bruises and contusions across the child’s body.
A medical examiner ruled the death a homicide, caused by blunt-force trauma, and noted injuries that “could not have all been sustained” through an accidental fall.
Background of the Case
At the time of the incident, the household included the child’s biological parents, Boudreau, and another adult. Witnesses told detectives they initially believed Boudreau to be a trusted caregiver. He later admitted drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana, and sleeping only a short time before taking responsibility for the child that morning, according to prosecutors.
During interviews, first responders said the child’s injuries were the worst they had ever seen outside of catastrophic crashes. One paramedic stated there “wasn’t a square inch of his body that didn’t have a bruise.”
In court Thursday, jurors convicted Boudreau of second-degree murder, as well as second- and third-degree assault of a child. They also issued special findings that he acted with deliberate cruelty, targeted a vulnerable victim, and abused his position of trust.
“The jury’s verdict reflects the seriousness of these crimes and the profound harm inflicted on an extremely vulnerable child,” the Thurston County Prosecutor’s Office said. “Our office remains committed to seeking justice for victims and holding offenders accountable, especially in cases involving the abuse of children who rely entirely on adults for their safety and care.”
Boudreau is scheduled to be sentenced on Thursday, Dec. 11.
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