Newly unsealed court records are painting a stark picture of life on a quiet stretch of the Siletz River Highway before 2-year-old Dane Paulsen disappeared from his parents' riverfront yard and later drowned. The documents detail earlier episodes in which the toddler was left unsupervised, and they now sit at the center of the criminal case against his father, Aaron Paulsen, who is charged with second-degree child neglect and set for a jury trial on July 22, 2026.
What the court filings show
According to KOIN, the unsealed records describe a September 2024 incident in which a teenager spotted Dane roughly 100 yards from the house on Highway 229 wearing only a diaper and a blue sweater, then walked him back to the property. The filings also quote his mother recalling that she heard Dane knocking at a trailer and thought, "oh sh-t the baby's out," before going back inside. Those details are now part of the prosecution's narrative about what was happening in the months before the boy's death.
Search and recovery
Dane was reported missing from the family's yard on March 1, 2025, triggering a multi-agency search of the Siletz River and the surrounding woods. The effort continued for about 10 days before a volunteer diver recovered his body roughly three miles downstream on March 11, 2025, as KLCC reported. The county medical examiner ruled the death an accidental drowning with no additional injuries, and the earlier search entered second week coverage documented how long the community watched and waited for news.
Charges and court timeline
A Lincoln County grand jury indicted Aaron Paulsen in October 2025 on one count of second-degree child neglect, and he entered a not guilty plea at his November arraignment, according to the Lincoln Chronicle. Court paperwork reviewed by KOIN lists a jury trial date of July 22, 2026, in Lincoln County Circuit Court.
Neighbors and family reaction
Neighbors and references in public records cited by multiple outlets say there had been earlier worries about supervision at the home, including accounts that the Paulsens' older daughter was at times outside alone and that Dane himself had been seen unsupervised before his March disappearance. Dane's mother, Chamet Jackson, has publicly questioned parts of the investigation and said she is seeking answers about what happened and why, as reported by KPTV.
Legal context
The indictment charges second-degree child neglect, a misdemeanor offense that, according to the Lincoln Chronicle, is based on prosecutors' claim to the grand jury that the child was left alone in a place likely to endanger his welfare. In the weeks leading up to the July trial date, the case is set to move through routine pretrial steps as the defense and prosecution file motions, exchange evidence, and line up witnesses.
Water safety and prevention
The case has also refocused attention on water safety for very young children living near rivers and other open water. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death for children ages 1-4 in the United States and recommends multiple layers of protection, including constant active supervision, physical barriers, and age-appropriate swim lessons to lower the risk. More detail is available in the agency's drowning risk guidance from the CDC.
