A 40-year-old Provo man is facing potential homicide charges in connection with the weekend death of a 7-month-old boy.
Alec Nicolaysen was baby-sitting the child on Saturday while the parents went out shopping for an hour, according to Provo police Sgt. Reed Van Wagoner.
When the parents returned, they found Nicolaysen holding "a blue and limp victim," according to a probable cause affidavit filed in 4th District Court.
Nicolaysen told the baby's mother that the boy -- who has a heart condition that requires him to be on oxygen -- "wouldn't stop crying," the affidavit states.
Van Wagoner said the mother noticed the hose supplying oxygen to the child had been pulled apart.
The boy was pronounced dead at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, where a doctor said he had been "without oxygen for quite some time before emergency personnel arrived," the affidavit states.
Nicolaysen later told police he saw the baby begin to turn blue and called the mother, the affidavit states. He told police he did not call 911 or render CPR.
Van Wagoner said the mother got a phone call from Nicolaysen, who told her the baby was crying and that she needed to come home. Because of the nature of the call, the woman was not concerned, Van Wagoner said.
Nicolaysen was booked into jail on suspicion of child neglect. But Van Wagoner said a homicide charge was possible, depending on the results of an autopsy.
Van Wagoner said the boy's parents had been living at Nicolaysen's home for about six weeks, but had known him for five years.
On Monday, Nicolaysen's bail was set at $7,500. He is to appear in court for a formal arraignment Nov. 9 before Judge Claudia Laycock.
