Justice for Jayden
Auburn Man Indicted for Murder in 2017 Death of Boy Assaulted in 2012
Key Points
Jayden Carlson's adoptive mother Deidra Alsten expressed relief and hope for justice after Stuart's murder indictment, saying, "I have mixed emotions, but mainly I'm ecstatic" and later, "you can't hurt children and not be held accountable. You can't essentially murder my son and not be held accountable. I want justice."
Stuart previously pleaded guilty to an assault charge stemming from the 2012 attack, and was convicted in 2015 of assault and battery on a child causing serious bodily injury, receiving a six-to-eight-year prison sentence.
The 2012 attack left Jayden with severe, life-altering injuries, with prosecutors noting ongoing medical complications that contributed to his death in December 2017.
Sophia's Angels raised tens of thousands of dollars in 2017 to help Deidra purchase a specialized van for Jayden.
Jayden Carlson lived in Southbridge and was survived by his parents Todd and Deidra Carlson and three brothers, according to his obituary.
A Worcester County grand jury has indicted Steven Stuart, 35, of Auburn, on murder in the death of seven-year-old Jayden Carlson, who died on December 21, 2017 — nearly five years after Stuart brutally assaulted him as a two-year-old in 2012. Boston Globe and WCVB report that Stuart was arraigned June 18 in Worcester County Superior Court and is being held without bail, with his next court date set for July 20.
Jayden's adoptive mother, Deidra Alsten, said she was overwhelmed by the news. "I have mixed emotions, but mainly I'm ecstatic," she told Boston 25 News. "You can't essentially murder my son and not be held accountable. I want justice."
A 2012 Assault That Stole Jayden's Childhood
In August 2012, two-year-old Jayden was assaulted in Southbridge, MA. Stuart was his biological mother's boyfriend at the time, according to Boston 25 News. The attack left Jayden with severe brain damage. He could no longer walk, talk, or eat on his own. He suffered daily seizures for the rest of his short life.
Jayden was eventually adopted by Deidra and Todd Carlson, who cared for him full-time in their Southbridge home. In May 2017, the nonprofit Sophia's Angels helped the family raise tens of thousands of dollars for a specialized van to transport him, Daily Voice reported. He died just months later at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, survived by his parents and three brothers: Caleb, Rafe, and Brody.
Stuart Already Convicted Once — Now Faces Murder
Stuart did not escape punishment after the 2012 attack. In September 2015, he was convicted in Worcester Superior Court of assault and battery on a child causing serious bodily injury. He was sentenced to six to eight years in state prison, Western Mass News reported.
But Jayden's death in 2017 opened the door to a new charge. Massachusetts abolished the old "year-and-a-day rule," which once blocked murder charges if a victim survived more than a year after an injury. Prosecutors can now charge murder no matter how much time has passed, as long as they can prove the original assault caused the death. Stuart pleaded not guilty at his June 18 arraignment, according to Daily Voice.
Prosecutors Must Prove the 2012 Blow Killed Him in 2017
The case hinges on one central question: did the 2012 assault directly cause Jayden's death five years later? Prosecutors argue the answer is yes. Jayden's injuries — brain damage, seizures, inability to eat — never healed. They say his death was the final result of what Stuart did to a toddler, WCVB reported.
The defense is expected to challenge that link. Stuart's not-guilty plea signals his lawyers will likely argue that some other medical event — not the 2012 assault — was the true cause of death. Experts say the prosecution must show an unbroken chain from the attack to Jayden's last day, with no independent cause breaking that chain. The July 20 court date will likely begin the battle over evidence and medical records.
Family Launches 'Jayden's Keys 4 Happiness' to Honor His Memory
Even as the legal fight continues, the Carlson family has worked to keep Jayden's memory alive. They started an initiative called "Jayden's Keys 4 Happiness," focused on random acts of kindness in his name, according to Boston 25 News. For Deidra, the indictment — nearly nine years after his death — is a long-awaited step.
"You can't hurt children and not be held accountable," she said. Child advocacy groups say the case sends a clear message: abusers cannot outlast justice simply by waiting. The clock, they argue, does not run out on a child's life.
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