Lake Lynn father charged with criminal homicide in toddler’s death
Two weeks after his fiancee was charged with the death of his 2-year-old son, a Lake Lynn father is also facing a charge of criminal homicide.
In the criminal complaint filed Tuesday, state police said Brett Bissett, 25, witnessed his fiancee, Brianna Bloyer, 30, “assault and attempt to assault” Bentlee Myers on multiple occasions at the couple’s home from the time the boy was 6 months old until his death on Aug. 19. Bissett would confront Bloyer about the injuries, but allowed the abuse to continue, leaving the child in her care several days a week, court documents state.
On Aug. 16, emergency responders were called to 1001 Old Lake Lynn Road for a report of an unconscious child. The toddler was transported to WVU Medicine Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, where he was declared brain dead. Doctors reported that the child had sustained numerous injuries, including bruising on his head, ears, inner and upper arms and legs, along with retinal hemorrhages, a brain bleed and a fractured left foot.
The youngster died three days later from cardiac arrest by head trauma, according to court documents. Bloyer, Bissett’s fiancee, was charged earlier this month with criminal homicide in Bentlee’s death.
Bloyer told investigators that she would become “very angry and lash out” when the child cried and admitted to assaulting Bentlee on several occasions, including on Aug. 16, according to the criminal complaint.
Bissett described to police several instances in which he witnessed his fiancee assault his son, including on Aug. 9, when the child was found unconscious in the bathtub. Bloyer left the 2-year-old for “less than 10 minutes” when she heard a sound consistent with a fall, court documents state. She told police when she picked up the boy, he was limp, and it was at that point 911 was called.
Bissett also is alleged to have told police that on separate occasions he witnessed Bloyer punch Bentlee “really hard” in the face and strike the toddler with a belt.
Bissett told police he did confront Bloyer about the bruises but didn’t intervene or remove his son from the home “because I loved her,” police wrote in the complaint.
Last week, Bissett was charged with impeding the investigation into the death of his son when he agreed to surreptitiously record Bloyer after Bentlee’s death, but instead, tipped her off that he would be doing so, court documents state.
Along with criminal homicide, Bissett is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and reckless endangerment. Both Bissett and Bloyer are being held in the Fayette County Jail without bond.
A preliminary hearing scheduled for Wednesday on the original charges against the two was continued.
Bissett’s preliminary hearing on the latest charges is scheduled for Dec. 4 before District Judge Ronald Haggerty.