Sharon Arger: Nanny charged in murder of 5-month-old boy after blaming his toddler brother for injuries

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AIRWAY HEIGHTS, WASHINGTON: During an interrogation, an Airway Heights nanny suspected of killing a five-month-old boy gave investigators over a dozen different accounts of what transpired, according to recently filed court documents.

59-year-old Sharon Arger was arrested at the Spokane County Jail on Thursday, March 28, and faces second-degree murder. The charges stem from her alleged involvement in the death of a five-month-old boy in November 2023.

Allegations against Arger

Arger is accused of doing nothing while medical personnel performed CPR on the child, neglecting to inform the child's parents, and blaming his two-year-old brother for the infant's death, according to recently filed court documents, KREM 2 reported.

Documents show that Arger gave investigators sixteen different explanations for what happened. On Nov 2, 2023, just after noon, authorities were called to a residence in Airway Heights regarding a baby who was not breathing.

Documents reveal that the caller, subsequently recognized as Arger, informed dispatch that the baby had been struck in the head by his two-year-old brother, rendering him unconscious.

According to documents, Arger answered the door holding the unconscious baby in her arms when the police arrived. After taking the infant away from Arger, the officers started CPR on him until an ambulance could be sent.

The baby was taken to the hospital and admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) as soon as the ambulance arrived.

Following the baby's examination, multiple medical professionals noted injuries on the child that were "strongly suggestive of an abusive event."

Documents state that the child had a fractured skull in the back of his head, as well as bruising on his neck, right ear, and left side of his forehead.

Arger's 'implausible' explanation

Medical professionals told police that the infant's injuries were "implausible" to have come from a two-year-old, likening them to "being thrown from a moving vehicle."

The parents of the child arrived at the hospital on November 2, 2023, sometime between 12.30 and 1 pm. The baby's parents told police, per the documents, that they hadn't noticed any injuries or bruises on the child before leaving for work that morning.

The infant's mother reported to the police that the only potential wounds she saw were a tiny scrape on his stomach and a bruise on his rear end. She also claimed that both injuries manifested after Arger started watching the boys by herself.

The parents assert that Arger did not begin watching the boys alone until October because the father had been working remotely until recently. He was therefore always at home with Arger while she was watching the boys.

Arger alone with them only on two dates, October 26–27 and November 2, 2023, according to the parents. The infant had been fussier lately, the parents told the police, probably because of teething.

As a result, according to the parents, the baby preferred to be held most of the time. The mother of the child informed authorities that she left for work on November 2, 2023, at around 6.15 am.

According to her account to the police, she left the infant with his father, who looked after him and the toddler until Arger arrived sometime around six fifty that morning.

Infant spent six days in the PICU before dying

Arger was informed by the father that her five-month-old was being fussy, and that the two-year-old had started "hitting" the baby, which meant slapping the baby's head or playing too near to him with his toys.

Documents state that the mother of the infant was unaware that he was being taken to the hospital until she started getting phone alerts from her front door security camera.

She allegedly left work to go to the hospital after checking the alerts and witnessing the baby being carried out on a stretcher. She informed the police that Arger never called her regarding the circumstance.

The baby's father reported to the police that, although it only rang once, he did receive a call from Arger. When he returned her call, a policeman answered and informed the father of what had transpired.

According to records, the baby spent nearly six days in the PICU before dying on November 8, 2023. The baby's autopsy revealed that blunt force injuries to his head were the cause of his death the following day.

Detectives interviewed Arger twice about the incident: on November 3, 2023, and the day it occurred. Documents from the interview show that Arger explained what had happened to the baby in sixteen different ways.

According to documents, she gave a variety of excuses, such as the baby choking on his milk bottle or the baby's two-year-old brother "kicking" him.

Eventually, Arger stopped speaking with the detectives, and records indicate that she asked to consult a lawyer.

Arger was taken into custody after an arrest warrant was issued for her on Thursday. She faces a single charge of second-degree murder. The amount of her bond is $1 million.