PROVO — A Provo man has been charged with neglect for allegedly failing to call 911 when a 7-month-old baby in his care stopped breathing over the weekend and later died.

Alec Nicolaysen, 40, was watching the boy, who had a heart condition and required breathing support, while his parents were out running errands, police said.

Nicolaysen called the parents about 5:20 p.m. Saturday when the child began crying, but by the time the parents arrived home 10 minutes later, the baby had stopped breathing and turned blue, police said.

The mother tried to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but the boy died. Police say she found the hose connecting oxygen to an air tube through the nose unplugged. The doctor who examined the baby at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center said the child was deprived of oxygen for some time, according to police.

Nicolaysen appeared Monday in 4th District Court and was charged with abuse or neglect of a disabled child, a third-degree felony. He was released Friday from the Utah County Jail after posting $7,500 bail.

His next court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 3.

— Paul Koepp