Biological mother speaks of red flags prior to Gavin Peterson’s death

    WEST HAVEN, Utah (KSL TV) -- The biological mother of 12-year-old Gavin Peterson, who was allegedly starved to death by his biological father, stepmother and oldest brother, is breaking her silence.

“It broke my heart to know that he died that way,” said Melanie Peterson. “I can’t imagine being so hungry. It’s just wrong. I don’t know how anyone could do that to anyone, especially your child.”

On July 9, Weber County Sheriff’s Office deputies discovered Gavin dying on the bathroom floor of his father’s home in West Haven. The home was shared by Gavin’s father, stepmother, oldest brother, and an 11-year-old stepbrother.

“I never would imagine that Shane would let this happen to starve him and let him die,” Melanie Peterson said. “Why wouldn’t he let me have him? He did it with my other kids.”

Shane Peterson, 46, Gavin’s stepmother, Nichole Scott, 50, and brother Tyler Peterson, 21, have been charged with child abuse homicide and other charges over what prosecutors describe as a “prolonged pattern of abuse” and starvation.

According to Melanie Peterson, Gavin was under the legal custody of Shane Peterson. She lost custody of all four of her children between 2014 to 2015.

Court documents indicate Melanie Peterson pleaded guilty in November 2014 to a drug-related charge of cause/permit a child or a vulnerable adult to be exposed to, inhale, ingest, or have contact with a controlled substance, chemical substance, or drug paraphernalia, a third-degree felony.

During an August 2014 incident, a police officer found then-2-year-old Gavin walking alone outside the home unsupervised. The officer eventually located Melanie Peterson and the family’s home, where he discovered a loaded marijuana pipe sitting on a shelf in the front room.

Court documents show Melanie Peterson successfully completed the terms of her sentencing, including 100 hours of community services, paying a $600 fine, serving jail time, refraining from alcoholic beverages, completing a mental health evaluation and treatment, completing a parenting program, and a substance abuse evaluation.

According to court documents, in February 2015, she successfully completed an Early Recovery Skills program through Weber Human Services, and in July 2015, she also completed Moral Recognition Therapy at a treatment center. She was also able to get and keep a job.

“I went through everything I was supposed to, as one should. I took all the classes, for my own mental health. It’s important to recognize when you need help,” Melanie Peterson said. “I took all the classes. I really did everything I could to better myself and be a mom to my kids.”

However, Melanie Peterson said she was never able to regain custody of her children through the courts. It wasn’t until 2018 that she said she got a text from Shane Peterson, who offered to let their third child live with her.

Then, in 2019, on Memorial Day weekend, Melanie Peterson said Shane Peterson dropped off their second oldest child and drove off. She noticed the second oldest child was malnourished and had all their hair buzzed off. The child also told her about the disturbing conditions in which their father and stepmother kept them.

“Nichole trapped [them] in the room. The lock was on the outside. She couldn’t get out. She ziptied [them] to the bed, there was a camera so if [they] did anything, if [they] did get out, she would see it on the camera,” Melanie Peterson said. “She wasn’t able to eat anything, only one meal a day, and it was smothered in mustard because all my kids hate mustard.”

Melanie Peterson said she called the Weber County Sheriff’s Office and was referred to DCFS, which was closed during the holiday.

According to her, social workers eventually interviewed the child, but nothing was done. Melanie Peterson alleges the social workers said without physical signs of abuse, they could only offer therapy to the child. She claims a physical examination by a doctor was not performed.

The evidence discovered by detectives in the course of Gavin’s death investigation bears a stark resemblance to Melanie Peterson’s allegations about the abuse her second oldest child endured.

In arresting documents, detectives describe multiple text conversations between the suspects in which they discuss feeding Gavin a “1/3 of a cup of water, only giving him a slice of bread and mustard, or not feeding him food at all.”

Detectives found multiple deleted screenshots of a smart home surveillance application on Scott Peterson’s phone, according to arresting documents.

“The child can be seen curling up on the carpet less floor of the room, which lacked bedding or blankets. Several screenshots also showed sores on the child’s back. The room appeared to have multiple cameras, as the infrared lights from other devices were visible in the screenshots,” the court documents stated.

By November 2019, Melanie Peterson said she regained visitation rights to see Gavin every other weekend and once again noticed signs of malnourishment.

“The last time I saw him, I took a picture of him because he looked so skinny,” she said. “I wanted to take him in, to see a doctor.”

This time, Melanie Peterson said she decided to document her concerns. In February 2020, she took a picture of Gavin without his shirt on; it would be the last time she saw him.

Melanie Peterson alleges Nichole and Shane Peterson found out she took a picture of Gavin and blocked her from ever seeing him again by making a false complaint that ended her visitation rights, pending a judgment by the Utah Division of Child and Family Services. According to Melanie Peterson, the process was dragged out during the pandemic.

“And it’s not that I didn’t try. No one helped me,” she said.

DCFS declined to comment on Gavin’s case. However, a spokesperson shared the following statement:

Division of Child and Family Services, Department of Health and Human Services:

The loss of any child impacts and devastates us. This is tragic for so many from the family and the community to all of those involved. The Utah Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) works with children and families during some of their most vulnerable moments.

Utah law requires any person with reason to believe that a child has been subjected to abuse or neglect to make a report to DCFS or a local law enforcement agency. You can contact the 24/7 abuse and neglect hotline at 1-855-323-3237 or file an online report at dcfs.utah.gov/child-protective-services.