Trial ordered in death of baby who slept with parents

WEST JORDAN, Utah (AP) -- A Salt Lake County couple will face trial in the death of their son who was sleeping with them in the same bed.

Trevor Merrill and Echo Nielsen went to bed with Kayson Merrill, who was 3 1/2 months old in August 2006. The Utah medical examiner believes Kayson likely died because he rolled onto his stomach during the night.

Merrill and Nielsen, both 24, are charged with a third-degree felony, child-abuse homicide. The Salt Lake Tribune says a trial was ordered this week.

In 2003, their first child also died while sleeping with them.

Defense attorneys claim Kayson may have died from chronic meningitis, based on the autopsy. But the baby's doctor says he was healthy.

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Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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