Parents charged in crib tragedy

A mother and father caused their 2-year-old son to suffocate by strapping a mattress to the top of his crib to prevent him from crawling out, according to charges made Wednesday in a Pennsylvania court.

Justin J. Dwyer, 29, and Courtney Stash, 28, were arraigned on charges that include involuntary manslaughter and aggravated assault for the April 25 death of their son Eoin.

Police allege the two used bungee cords and heavy bags of driveway salt to keep Eoin from getting out of his crib, but neither Dwyer nor Stash mentioned the bags of salt or straps during initial interviews.

It was a few days after Eoin’s death that Stash’s 8-year-old son told de- tectives of the alleged practice, police said.

A judge in Lebanon, Pa., set bail Wednesday at $250,000 each.

Eoin was dead by the time emergency crews arrived at the family home in Myerstown, summoned after Stash had found Eoin unresponsive and not breathing in his crib in the master bedroom, police said.

During a search of the home, investigators said, they recovered the blue mattress, two 50-pound bags of salt, and a red bungee cord from the master bedroom.

Stash’s son told police in May that on the morning Eoin died, Dwyer and Stash said the mattress had trapped Eoin by the neck.

The couple’s lawyers did not return messages seeking comment.