A mother in Seattle, Washington, has been accused of brutally murdering her five-year-old son, Robert “Bodhi” Gagner-Sarten, with a 20-pound kettlebell. Cedar Mae Sarten, 43, was charged with first-degree murder on Tuesday after an investigation by detectives in Seattle. She was arrested at a medical facility in the city, according to the Fairbanks Police Department.
Sarten, who had reportedly been struggling with mental illness, allegedly attacked her son by crushing his skull with the kettlebell, according to an autopsy. The report also indicated that the child suffered knife wounds.
The tragic incident occurred on October 14, when Sarten made a 911 call to emergency dispatchers from her apartment in Fairbanks. She claimed someone had harmed her son and that he was dead. She later told police she had last seen Robert alive between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. when he was falling asleep, and insisted that she had tried to call 911 the night before but couldn’t get through.
When officers arrived at the apartment, they found Robert’s lifeless body on a bed, with a bloodied knife beside him. A second knife and the kettlebell used to crush his skull were found on the floor. Police reported that there was a significant amount of blood throughout the apartment.
Sarten allegedly left a voicemail for Robert’s father, Robert Gagner, saying, “Robert, this is really bad, you seriously need to come over here right now. Please don’t freak out. We don’t have a son no more.” She also reportedly slashed herself with a knife before police arrived and took her to the hospital.
Sarten has a history of violent behavior. She was previously convicted of child endangerment in 2020 for a violent incident in which she harmed her son at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital by twisting his head. She also has a criminal record with over 20 arrests, including charges for felony theft, assault, and reckless endangerment.
Family members have expressed their grief over the loss of Bodhi, remembering him as a “sweet” and “kind-hearted” little boy who loved cheese pizza and mozzarella sticks. A GoFundMe page set up in his honor described him as a loving child with a joyful spirit. Bodhi will be laid to rest in Ruby, Alaska, near the Yukon River, where his grandfather is also buried.
Sarten is currently being held at the King County Correctional Facility in Washington on a $2 million bond. Police continue to investigate the case and have urged anyone with information to contact Detective Robert Hall at rhall@fairbanks.us or 907-450-6500.
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