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October 13, 2010 in City
Boy’s fatal injury recounted
Woman reportedly told police it was ‘all my fault’
A Post Falls baby sitter accused of murdering a 3-year-old boy told police after failing a polygraph test, “I hurt a poor little defenseless boy … And it was all my fault,” documents released Tuesday say.
Amanda L. Skogen, 25, remains in Kootenai County Jail on $1 million bail after appearing in 1st District Court on a first-degree murder charge Tuesday.
Skogen replied “uh, yes,” when asked if she understood the charge against her, which is punishable by up to life in prison or the death penalty.
Kootenai County Prosecutor Barry McHugh said Skogen is a flight risk and emphasized that while she cooperated with investigators, she didn’t confess until she failed the polygraph exam.
McHugh said Skogen was on her knees when she shoved Cohen Johnson on Oct. 4 “in a very violent manner, causing him to fall back and hit his head.”
“The injuries were immediately debilitating,” McHugh said.
Cohen was taken off life support at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center on Friday. Skogen was arrested on a first-degree murder charge shortly after. Police say she had already confessed after she failed a polygraph on Oct. 5.
Prosecutors have 60 days to decide whether to seek the death penalty against Skogen, who has no criminal history.
Police reports describe the unemployed Skogen as a native of Riverton, Wyo. News archives show she married Matthew D. Skogen, the son of Spokane County sheriff’s Deputy David Skogen, in 2004.
The couple were at the deputy’s home after Cohen was hospitalized Monday night; police reached Amanda there and she agreed to go to the police station in Post Falls for an interview.
Skogen initially denied hurting the boy and said she believed he had the flu and fell while she was changing his wet pants. The boy showed no obvious signs of trauma, and police said the home appeared “clean and well kept.” Officers described Skogen as “very shaken and concerned.” She traveled with the boy’s mother to the hospital and sent text messages that night inquiring about his condition.
Medics first thought Cohen ingested a poisonous material, but a doctor at Kootenai Medical Center discovered two skull fractures she said were “not accidental.”
The boy also had bruising on his face that the doctor said was caused by someone grabbing his face and pulling his right ear. Cohen also had a healing black eye, but Skogen said it was caused by Cohen colliding with her dog.
She later said she became “frustrated and angry” with Cohen after he urinated in his pants and on her as the two were napping on her couch. She said she shoved him and he fell back and hit his head, which made a “cracking noise,” according to a police report. She told police she slapped the boy and shook his face to try to revive him.
“Amanda said she most likely did this out of nervousness and the knowledge that she had just done something terrible,” according to the report.
Cohen’s 2-year-old sister was present at the time.
“This is not a freak accident or fluke,” said Post Falls police Chief Scot Haug. “This is somebody who acted out of anger, shoved a child and caused his death.”
Police say Skogen had cared for the boy, who his father said called her “Aunt Amanda,” since June. Matt Skogen knows the boy’s father, Jeremy R. Johnson, from high school, according to the police report.
Johnson and Cohen’s mother, Jennifer A. Gamble, are separated, and Skogen had been caring for Cohen at her home on North Elm Road since about June while his parents worked.
Cohen’s parents have declined to speak to media but thanked Cohen’s supporters and Sacred Heart staff in a prepared statement Tuesday.
“We will remember Cohen not for the way he left us, but for the brilliant life he gave us,” his parents wrote. “We sincerely hope others might do the same.”
Johnson described Cohen to police as “the most amazing child” who was active and had good communication skills.
Human trafficking suspects released 
bszottlinger on October 13 at 12:49 p.m.
There are some things that just don’t add up to me here.
Elkay on October 13 at 1:02 p.m.
I’m not nearly as smart as you … what isn’t adding up?
AnnS on October 14 at 12:17 p.m.
I have been following this horrible story since Nancy Grace covered it on her program last week. I can honestly tell you this story has sickened me to a point were I have not been able to sleep, as I think about it and other cases of child abuse all the time. What Amanda Skogen did to this beautiful little boy breaks my heart. This child was innocent and did nothing to deserve this type of punishment by Amanda Skogen. Amanda Skogen should get the death penalty or life in prison without parole. This kind of treatment towards a child should never occur no matter what the child has done. Something has to be done to help these abused children. Did the state of Idaho check this Monster out before she was allowed to babysit?
bszottlinger on October 14 at 2:40 p.m.
ElKay:
There are a number of things, but there really isn’t enough public information available to draw any conclusions. I’m not a real fan of the polygraph except as an investigative tool, especially in extremely emotional cases like this and cases in which a husband or wife is suspected of killing their spouse. An individual can sometimes have a deceptive exam when in reality they only hold themselves responsible emotionally because of self blame or something similar. I’m not at all saying that is the case here. Of course polygraph examiners will tell you that safeguards are put into place to see to it that doesn’t happen, but it does, and a lot depends on the examiner.
I’m very surprised she voluntary took a polygraph, she didn’t have to, nor did she have to talk to the police at all for that matter. I don’t know if she was represented, but it would seem to me she was not, or her lawyer likely would have told her not to take the polygraph or talk to the police. I guess what I’m saying is it kind of surprises me that she was so cooperative. Please don’t misunderstand, I’m not saying she isn’t culpable, I might question the degree charged based on the public record, but that’s it.
I also see the prosecutor released a statement regarding the confession, and the polygraph, which appears to me to be a violation of the Idaho Rules of Professional Conduct.
http://www.isc.idaho.gov/rules/IRPC_ALL.pdf
Elkay on October 14 at 3:08 p.m.
Then do you think she possibly was not read her Miranda rights by the Police Department prior to the polygraph testing?
I just assumed that when people are taken in for questioning that they are told what rights they have. Or is that only after an arrest? (You can tell how often I’m involved with the police?)
When will I learn to NEVER assume anything.
bszottlinger on October 14 at 4:54 p.m.
I’m sure she was advised of her rights. It gets a bit complex but the trigger for advising Miranda is CUSTODY and INTERROGATION. A new US Supreme Court case requires that you affirmatively and clearly assert your rights. I other words, you can’t just say well I’m not really sure if I want to talk, and I don’t know if I want a lawyer. You have to say I refuse to talk and I want my lawyer. In other words if Hawken was the cop you might have to say something like this. “Look officer, no straw man fallacy, no definist fallacy, no hasty generalization fallacy, no “Ad Hominem” logical fallacy, the answer is emphatically NO I will not talk to you and yes I DO want my lawyer.”
The problem you might have if you didn’t have a witness to your conversation with Officer Hawken is he might take the stand and testify that he didn’t understand your position regarding your rights because you continually used retoric that appeared that you did want to give up your rights and your thought process was completely flawed so he went ahead and continued to question you. But based on what I have read of his posting he may well be testifying honestly because it doesn’t appear he actually has the capacity to understand what others are saying.
In retrospect, regarding above, perhaps the best advise if it happens to be Officer Hawken is just remain mute.
No..that might not work either, he would probably accuse you of using the mute fallacy.
Come to think of it I don’t know what I would do if it was Officer Hawken. I’d be afraid to run. I be afraid to talk. ….I know…. I’d pretend to be a conservative and talk about how I once slept with Sarah Palin in college…..that might do it!
Elkay on October 14 at 5:24 p.m.
I’m reading this laughing my a** off …….
“In retrospect, regarding above, perhaps the best advice if it happens to be Officer Hawken is just remain mute. No..that might not work either, he would probably accuse you of using the mute fallacy.”
In other words, a closed mouth gathers no foot?
Thank you for totally clearing this up. And thanks also, I’ll read the 52-page link you sent just a little later …….. have to find my glasses. For the rum and coke.
spokanecommunistparty on October 29 at 7:54 p.m.
Mathew Skogen was the meanest jock in East Valley High school, Its no wonder he drove his wife crazy enough to murder a child. Pity…..