More evidence requested on child's death

PROVO — Defense attorneys want to ensure they have every scrap of evidence before proceeding on a case against a father charged with fatally abusing his baby.

Cameron Nielsen, 23, faces the potentially capital felony of aggravated murder in the death of his 3-week-old son, Jason. It's an amended charge, though, because when Nielsen was arrested in May 2008, Jason was only severely injured, with broken ribs, skull fractures and brain injuries.

Nielsen allegedly told police he had squeezed Jason and thrown him into his crib several times, according to a police affidavit filed in 4th District Court.

Jason spent a month in Primary Children's Medical Center and then was placed in foster care, where he died in October from seizures caused by the abuse, prosecutors say. Soon after, prosecutors revised the charges from felony child abuse to aggravated murder.

"In defending Mr. Nielsen, (it's important) that we have every single piece of evidence," defense attorney Tom Means told the judge Thursday, to explain why they were asking for another continuance. "It's very important that we have all the information so there's a complete link in causation."

Means said although the hospital has been good about responding to requests for medical records, they've noticed a few gaps where the records mention tests, but there are no reports of those tests.

Attorneys are hopeful that by Sept. 3 they will have all the necessary information and at that point, can request a preliminary hearing or waive that hearing and proceed toward a resolution or trial.

— Sara Israelsen-Hartley