Tulalip Mom Gets 15 Years for Toddler’s Maggot-Infested Death

SEATTLE, WA – A mother’s callous disregard for her children culminated in a 15-year federal prison sentence today. CHRISTINA D. CARLSON, 38, an enrolled member of the Tulalip Tribes, was sentenced in U.S. District Court for second degree murder and criminal mistreatment in the death of her 19-month-old daughter and the severe neglect of her other daughter, age 33 months. U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan announced the sentencing, a grim outcome to a case that shocked investigators.

The horror unfolded on October 8, 2012, when emergency crews responded to a call on Marine Drive NE, within the Tulalip Tribal Reservation. They found CARLSON attempting CPR on her youngest child, who was unresponsive, lying on a filthy blanket. The scene was a nightmare: the 19-month-old was unconscious, not breathing, and covered in urine and feces. A second child, the 33-month-old, was discovered strapped into a car seat nearby, equally neglected – pale, unresponsive, and similarly soiled. While the older child eventually recovered, the 19-month-old was pronounced dead, the Snohomish County Medical Examiner ruling the manner of death as homicide by parental neglect.

The medical examiner’s report painted a gruesome picture. The toddler weighed a mere 19 pounds, a stark indication of severe malnutrition and dehydration. Her diaper area was horrifically excoriated and infested with maggots. Lice riddled her hair. Investigators quickly determined CARLSON and her daughters had been living in the car on the property since mid-September. The day of the tragedy, CARLSON left the girls unattended while she pursued drugs. She was gone for *hours*, according to her own admission in the plea agreement.

Neighbors eventually alerted CARLSON to check on her children. Approximately 20 minutes later, she returned, frantically requesting a 9-1-1 call because the youngest was unresponsive. It was too late. The investigation revealed a pattern of appalling neglect, fueled by CARLSON’s drug use. U.S. District Judge James L. Robart didn’t mince words at sentencing, stating, “The details of the murder and mistreatment are nauseating… She knew she needed to care for her children and she chose not to.”

CARLSON has been held at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac, Washington, since January 11, 2013, awaiting sentencing. In addition to the 15-year prison term, she will face five years of supervised release upon completion of her sentence. This case serves as a chilling reminder of the devastating consequences of parental neglect and the vulnerability of innocent children.

The investigation was a collaborative effort between the Tulalip Tribal Police and the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney J. Tate London prosecuted the case, securing a conviction that, while offering no solace for the lost child, brings a measure of justice to a horrific tragedy. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on similar instances of egregious abuse.