This story was originally published on LincolnChronicle.org and is used with permission.
Aaron Paulsen and Chamet Jackson have been through a rollercoaster of court proceedings since their two-year-old son drowned in the Siletz River behind their home 19 months ago.
The Lincoln County sheriff’s department along with bands of community members searched for their missing son for 10 days until a volunteer diver found Dane Paulsen three miles downstream from their home on March 12, 2025.
But criminal charges continue to trail the family – including a trial of Paulsen rescheduled from July to November and a mistrial in August when a jury could not decide assault charges against Paulsen and Jackson resulting from a fight after her brother threatened to kill himself.
Those close to the family and many in the Siletz community have been critical of the Lincoln County district attorney’s decision to charge Paulsen, including Juan Heredia, the California diver who found Dane’s body and pleaded with officials not to further harm an already grieving family.
Last month the city of Siletz dedicated a playground in Dane Paulsen’s memory with a sign proclaiming “A place for all kids to play for eternity.”
“That beautiful sign will tell every child, parent and visitor that Dane was here,” Chamet Jackson wrote on a Facebook post. “Dane mattered. Dane is deeply loved. And Dane will never be forgotten.”
But six months after Dane died, a Lincoln County grand jury indicted Paulsen on one count of second-degree child neglect, a misdemeanor. Paulsen was scheduled to stand trial in July but the trial was rescheduled for November when his attorney fell ill. Jackson is not charged with neglect.
Lincoln County District Attorney Jenna Wallace told KATU news last November that the investigation showed that Dane was in his father’s care when he walked outside unattended and then wandered down to the river. “Mr. Paulsen, according to his statements to law enforcement, knew that there wasn’t any other adult supervision outside,” Wallace said.
Three months after that indictment, a family fight broke out at their house when Paulsen and Jackson fought with her brother after he threatened to commit suicide. Paulsen and Jackson ended up charged with third- and fourth-degree assault and reckless endangerment while Daniel Jackson was accused of fourth-degree assault and harassment.
Daniel Jackson entered into a deferred sentencing agreement in April, which after a year could allow a judge to dismiss his assault and harassment charges.
Still, in January, Lincoln County Circuit Court Judge Sheryl Bachart ordered Paulsen and Jackson to have no contact with one another and have no contact with Daniel Jackson.
Chamet Jackson later asked the judge to allow contact with her husband since they live together, own and work together at the Chowder Bowl in Depoe Bay, and share a daughter. Bachart denied the request but modified it to only allow the couple to have third party contact relating to their business and childcare. Since then, Jackson has lived in Lincoln City while her husband has lived in Siletz.
A three-day trial in late August ought to have resulted in a resolution to the assault charges but the 12-person jury could not reach a consensus. Bachart declared a hung jury, a mistrial and scheduled a new trial for next March.
A family fight
When Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy Travis Iverson arrived at Paulsen and Jackson’s Siletz home on Jan. 22, her brother had a black eye and said that he had punched his sister, according to Iverson’s probable cause affidavit.
Jackson helped Paulsen punch and kick her brother 20-25 times while he was on the ground, the affidavit said. Their daughter was present, according to the court document.
During their trial in August, Jackson, who is visibly pregnant, testified about the events leading up to the brawl.
Jackson, her brother, Paulsen and the couple’s daughter were headed home from Warrior’s Bar and Grill when an argument broke out in the car. Paulsen took their daughter inside while Jackson and her brother continued to argue outside.
She recounted how her brother threatened his own life and said the ensuing fight was to keep him from reaching the gun in his trunk. She was knocked unconscious for a moment after being punched by her brother, Jackson said.
“I finally get the keys out of his pocket, and receipts and everything goes flying everywhere,” Jackson said. “I head to the car, get the gun, and Aaron has already stood up, screaming at me to call the cops and Daniel is screaming that he’s going to shoot himself.”
While their charges of reckless endangerment were dropped, the jury could not reach a verdict whether either Paulsen or Jackson were guilty of third-degree assault, which is a felony, and fourth-degree assault, which is a misdemeanor. Guilty verdicts must be unanimous, while at least 10 jurors must agree on a not guilty verdict.
Some states set a limit on how many times a case with a hung jury could be retried, but in Oregon it is up to the prosecutor to keep pursuing charges.
Jackson and Paulsen’s attorneys declined to comment citing ongoing litigation. Lincoln County District Attorney Jenna Wallace did not respond to requests for comment about her decisions to continue to prosecute the cases.
A new jury trial is scheduled March 24-26.
