Chelsea Cooley: Woman who killed BF’s son, 3, by stuffing wet wipes down throat shows no remorse in court

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.

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BEDFORD, PENNSYLVANIA: A Pennsylvania judge sentenced a woman to 40 to 80 years in prison after she was found guilty of strangling a 3-year-old boy and placing baby wipes deep into his throat, requiring medics to use forceps to extract them. 

Chelsea R Cooley, 33, admitted to third-degree murder, strangulation, and endangering the welfare of a child in the case involving the death of Travis Young Jr in 2022. 

Cooley was caring for Travis, who was her boyfriend’s son, along with other children at their residence in Bedford County at the time of the tragic incident, Law&Crime reported.

Travis Young Jr’s mother and father get emotional during sentencing hearing

During the sentencing on Monday, Cooley's attorney conveyed her desire to leave the courtroom during the victim impact statements. However, the judge, Travis Livengood, rejected this request.

Judge Livengood asserted, “She’s going to stay there,”

Prosecutors presented a statement from the boy’s father, Travis Young Sr, who was at work when his son died. He expressed feelings of betrayal by Cooley and stated that he could never forgive her.

“The [worst] is slowly forgetting the sound of his voice,” he reportedly said. “I hope he haunts you every single second of your life.”

Travis’ mother, Rachel Reuter, also addressed the court, describing the boy they affectionately called “Junior” as her “little best friend.”

She lamented, "I lost the honor of being able to watch him grow.” 

Livengood remarked that despite Cooley's desire to leave the courtroom, “she had no remorse whatsoever.”

He reportedly told Cooley, “You have earned every single day of the 40 to 80 years you are going to get.” 

Attorney General Michelle Henry released a statement describing the case as “horrific.”

Henry stated, “This defendant was responsible for caring for this child, and instead she did the unthinkable. She brutally murdered him, a defenseless and innocent three-year-old child.”

What happened to Travis Young Jr?

According to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, on May 28, 2022, a neighbor reported hearing screaming and a female voice saying “shut up” around the time Travis sustained his injuries. 

Cooley took a photo of the unconscious and injured boy at 8:41 pm, but she waited until 9:07 pm to call 911. Prosecutors stated that she also hesitated to follow the dispatcher’s instructions to assist the child. 

Pennsylvania State Police troopers responded to the home and the hospital after reports that the child had choked on baby wipes at approximately 9:16 pm. 

Travis was airlifted to UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh but succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at approximately 4 pm on May 29. 

According to the police report, an autopsy revealed the manner of death as homicide due to "manual strangulation and asphyxiation due to airway obstruction." 

During an interview with investigators, Cooley repeatedly emphasized Travis’ behavioral issues, claiming he had thrown a tantrum earlier in the day. She stated that she found him not breathing with a wet wipe stuck in his throat around 8:30 pm. 

EMS personnel found four wet wipes in his throat, some of which were blood-soaked. A medic informed investigators that the wipes were tightly packed and likely couldn't have been self-inserted. 

The victim also exhibited signs of bruising and petechiae on his neck. Cooley asserted that her phone malfunctioned when asked about the delay in calling for help. 

The interviewing trooper observed bite marks on Cooley's hands. Investigators also discovered soiled and blood-covered baby wipes in Cooley’s home during a search.