A Pennsylvania man is now facing legal action in the late summer death of his 2-year-old son, just days after his girlfriend was charged with one count of homicide in the same case.
Previously reported on the beating death of Bentlee Myers, 2, on August 16. On November 8, the Fayette County District Attorney’s Office charged Brianna Bloyer, 30, with homicide.
Pennsylvania police have now charged Brett Bissett, 25, with one count of criminal homicide. He also faces charges of endangering the welfare of a child and reckless endangerment.
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Days after the father’s girlfriend was charged, he was arrested on charges of tampering with evidence, obstructing the administration of justice, and impeding arrest.
Prosecutors expected to file additional charges in the case from the start, and they did so this week.
The Observer-Reporter obtained a criminal complaint that claims Bissett saw his girlfriend “assault and attempt to assault” Bentlee numerous times between the age of 6 months and his death this year.
According to the complaint, the father frequently confronted the alleged killer about the abuse and the child’s resulting injuries, but then allowed the process to repeat itself by leaving Bentlee in the care of his girlfriend several days a week.
Another adult arrived at Bloyer’s home on Old Lake Lynn Road in Springhill Township, a small community just across the border from West Virginia, early in the afternoon on the specified day.
The other adult found the child unresponsive.
Nearly as concerning, that person discovered Bloyer was aware of the boy’s condition but did not call 911, according to law enforcement.
The complaint does not identify the person who called 911.
According to the complaint, the other adult informed dispatchers that the child had his feet propped up, his face was blue, and he didn’t appear to be breathing.
First responders rushed the boy to a nearby hospital, but it was too little, too late; medical personnel pronounced him brain-dead, and Bentlee died from his injuries.
On the day of the fatal incident, Bloyer allegedly told investigators that the child had been with her for about two weeks.
According to the complaint, the defendant then claimed that when she woke Bentlee up that morning, he stumbled around before collapsing.
Law enforcement conducted a search at the residence and seized Bloyer’s phone. On the device, police allegedly discovered the following search from Aug. 16: “how to get someone to come to when you pass out.”
Between August 8 and 9, more incriminating Google searches were conducted, including “why am I so much more angry while pregnant” and “what better to make bruises fade overnight,” according to police.
The boy’s father’s girlfriend also allegedly searched for “homemade bruise cream” and “carpet imprint in face; how long does it take to go away?”
According to the complaint, police confirmed that the woman’s phone did not dial 911 on the day of her fatal injuries.
According to police, Bissett initially claimed ignorance about the punishment regime that killed his son.
When pressed to explain the injuries, the boy’s father claimed he had no idea the bruises existed, according to police.
The father did allegedly tell investigators that he noticed his girlfriend was frequently stressed out and frustrated with the child. Then the narrative changed.
Bissett continued by describing a number of instances in which his girlfriend mistreated or neglected the child, one of which occurred on August 9 and resulted in the discovery of Bentlee unconscious in the bathtub.
According to the complaint, the boy’s father stated that Bloyer left the child alone for “less than 10 minutes,” heard what sounded like a fall, and found the boy limp.
On other occasions, the father allegedly admitted to witnessing Bloyer punching his son “really hard” in the face and hitting him with a belt.
When asked why he never took his son away from the woman’s danger, the father allegedly responded, “Because I loved her.”
That love allegedly continued after the child’s death. According to police, Bissett initially agreed to help with their investigation into Bloyer by secretly recording her. Then, police claim that Bissett informed Bloyer about the surveillance.
“The father of this child went out of his way to obstruct our investigation and to help Ms. Bloyer get away with this—or what he thought she would get away with,” Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele told CBS News earlier this month. “I don’t believe he cared about this child at any point during the investigation. I believe it was all about Ms. Bloyer.
A preliminary hearing in Bloyer’s case was originally scheduled for Wednesday but was rescheduled earlier this week.
The court date for Bissett’s appearance is December 4.
The Fayette County Jail is holding both defendants without bond.
