Fairbanks woman charged with murder of 5-year-old son

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – A Fairbanks woman has been charged with murder, three weeks after her 5-year-old son was found dead in a downtown apartment.

The Fairbanks Police Department said in a statement Monday that 43-year-old Cedar Sarten was still receiving medical treatment for what investigators said was the night her son was found dead in a 10th Avenue apartment was found to have apparently inflicted self-inflicted injuries.

Sarten was charged with first-degree murder.

Police officials said Sarten called police around 10 a.m. on Oct. 14 and claimed that someone had injured her son and that “he was definitely dead.”

Sarten told police she last saw her son alive at 1 or 2 a.m. and tried to call 911, but the “call didn't go through.” Police said a later search of her phone revealed no 911 call had been made the night before.

Officers arrived after receiving the morning call from Sarten, who had numerous cuts on her wrist, arms, neck and head, which police believe came from Sarten herself. She was taken to the hospital for injuries that police described as life-threatening.

The five-year-old boy was found on the bed and there was no one else in the apartment and there were no signs of a break-in, police said. Officers found a 20-pound kettlebell-style weight and two knives in the room – one on the bed and one on the floor. According to police, there was a lot of blood everywhere.

Investigators said an autopsy determined his cause of death was “blunt force trauma to his head” and that he also suffered “multiple injuries consistent with being struck with a sharp object.”

Fairbanks police said several people who knew her said she was acting differently than normal.

Police added that Sarten attempted to harm the boy in a previous incident in July 2020 at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital.

Police said anyone with further information about the death should contact Detective Robert Hall at [email protected] or 907-450-6500.

Copyright 2024 KTUU. All rights reserved.