Father charged in death of boy, 4

A vehicular homicide charge was filed Thursday against the father of a 4-year-old who died near Mount Spokane in August.

Lester C. LaFleur, 35, will be arraigned Dec. 2.

Gerrin P.R. LaFleur died Aug. 19 during a family firewood-gathering trip in the foothills near North Wallis Road and East Elliot Road.

Lester LaFleur told authorities the boy fell from atop his parked 1985 Ford F-250 pickup, according to court documents.

But investigators received conflicting reports of what happened and searched the truck for hair fibers, fingerprints and other evidence to understand the circumstances surrounding the death.

An autopsy said the boy died of a bruised and cut right lung, according to court documents.

Spokane County Sheriff’s detectives concluded the truck was moving when the boy died and recommended prosecutors file the charge.

Gerrin is pictured above at Bloomsday in May 2008 with his father and a sister. The picture below that at the left was taken last summer.

Read past coverage here and here.