A Great Falls man no longer faces criminal charges in connection with the death of his infant son back in May 2009.
The trial of Thomas Tallbull was scheduled to begin today; he had been charged with criminal endangerment. In June, Tallbull pled not guilty to the charge.
Court documents say Tallbull had been drinking alcohol when he went to sleep in the same bed as his 7-week old son. When Tallbull awoke, his son was not breathing and was later determined to be dead at the scene.
According to the county attorney's office, autopsy results on the baby were inconclusive; those results were a major factor in Judge Dirk Sandefur's decision to dismiss the charge.
(June 11, 2009) Thomas Tallbull pled not guilty on Thursday to felony criminal endangerment in the death of a 7-week old baby in Great Falls.
Court documents say Tallbull had admitted drinking alcohol while babysitting on April 25th.
He then fell asleep and rolled on top of the baby. When the child's mother returned from her night shift as a nurse, she found the baby unresponsive.
Tallbull's trial date is set for August 24th.
(from May 14, 2009) For more than two weeks Great Falls police have been investigating the death of a 7-week old baby at the Fox Hollow Apartments.
Today, Thomas Allen Tallbull was arrested and charged with felony criminal endangerment in connection with the investigation.
According to police, the infant boy was sleeping in a bed with Tallbull while the baby's mother was at work. Tallbull apparently became intoxicated, fell asleep around 1 a.m. and rolled on top of the baby. The baby's mother returned home at 7:00 a.m. and found the baby unresponsive.
Tallbull's blood alcohol content that morning was .086.
Cascade County Attorney John Parker said, "We felt that criminal endangerment was our best opportunity to hold him accountable because the autopsy reports were totally inconclusive regarding the cause of death, so therefore we decided criminal endangerment was the best way to move forward and deliver some accountability."
Tallbull could have faced more serious charges if the investigation would have proved his actions caused the baby's death.
He could face ten years in prison, or a $50,000 fine.
