REMEMBERING ALDRICH

Aldrich Leathers was a precious baby boy whose life ended before he could celebrate his first birthday.

Born on November 27, 2010, Aldrich was still in the earliest stages of discovering the world. He should have been surrounded by loving arms, gentle voices, and the comfort of knowing that someone would always be there to protect him.

At nine months old, Aldrich was beginning a period of remarkable growth and discovery. There were so many milestones still ahead of him, from his first steps and first words to the birthdays and childhood memories he would never have the chance to experience.

He deserved a safe home and attentive care from the adults responsible for him.

Instead, Aldrich's life ended in a tragedy that could have been prevented.

ALDRICH'S STORY

On September 20, 2011, Aldrich was at his mother's home in northeast Denver, Colorado.

His mother, Muriel Keer, placed him in a bathtub with the water running.

Rather than remaining with her infant son, Keer left the bathroom and went to another part of the home, where she began using a computer.

Aldrich was left alone in the bathtub.

As the water continued running, the tub filled and eventually overflowed.

Another adult living in the home entered the bathroom and discovered Aldrich submerged in the water.

He immediately removed the baby from the bathtub, and emergency services were contacted.

Aldrich was transported to a nearby hospital, but despite efforts to save him, he was pronounced dead.

Investigators determined that Aldrich had been left unattended in the bathtub for at least sixteen and a half minutes.

During the investigation, authorities also examined Keer's history of substance use and repeated violations of probation conditions.

Prosecutors argued that her drug use and failure to provide appropriate supervision had contributed to the circumstances surrounding Aldrich's death.

The little boy who should have been safely cared for in his own home had drowned while the adult responsible for him was occupied elsewhere.

Aldrich was only nine months old.

WARNING SIGNS & SYSTEM FAILURES

Aldrich's death raised serious questions about the warning signs that existed before the tragedy and whether more effective intervention could have helped protect him.

Before Aldrich was born, Muriel Keer had been convicted of a drug offense and placed on supervised probation.

According to prosecutors, Keer repeatedly violated the conditions of her probation.

During her pregnancy, she tested positive for drugs multiple times. Afterward, she continued to struggle with substance use.

At her sentencing hearing, prosecutors stated that she had tested positive for drugs nineteen times while on probation and had missed approximately thirty additional drug tests.

Despite those violations, her probation had not been revoked.

Prosecutors argued that the repeated warning signs should have prompted stronger intervention.

The judge also expressed concern about the circumstances that had developed before Aldrich's death.

Although the criminal case centered on Keer's failure to supervise her son, the sentencing proceedings highlighted broader questions about how repeated violations and serious concerns involving a caregiver were handled.

Aldrich was an infant who could not recognize danger, remove himself from the bathtub, or call for help.

He depended entirely on the adults around him to protect his life.

His death demonstrates the importance of recognizing serious warning signs and ensuring that vulnerable children receive consistent, attentive care.

JUSTICE FOR ALDRICH

Following Aldrich's death, his mother, Muriel Keer, was arrested and prosecuted in Denver County District Court.

Muriel Keer

Relationship to Aldrich: Mother

Conviction: Child abuse resulting in death

Sentence: 36 years in prison

In June 2013, a Denver jury found Muriel Keer guilty of child abuse resulting in death.

The jury acquitted her of first degree murder.

During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Keer had left Aldrich unattended in a bathtub with the water running while she used a computer.

The evidence established that Aldrich had been left alone for at least sixteen and a half minutes before another adult discovered him submerged in the water.

On August 16, 2013, Keer was sentenced to thirty-six years in prison.

During sentencing, the judge indicated that he did not believe Keer had deliberately intended to kill her son. Nevertheless, her actions represented a devastating failure to provide the supervision and protection that an infant required.

The conviction established her criminal responsibility for the neglect that resulted in Aldrich's death.

Although the court imposed a lengthy prison sentence, no punishment could restore Aldrich's life or give him the childhood he deserved.

FOREVER REMEMBERED

Aldrich Leathers should have celebrated his first birthday surrounded by love, laughter, and the people who cared about him.

He should have learned to walk, spoken his first words, made friends, attended school, and experienced the countless moments that make childhood so precious.

Instead, his life ended before he had the opportunity to experience so many of those milestones.

Aldrich's story is a heartbreaking reminder of how completely infants depend on the adults entrusted with their care. Something as ordinary as bath time should never have placed his life in danger.

But Aldrich deserves to be remembered for more than the circumstances of his death.

He was a little boy whose life held immeasurable value. His future was filled with possibilities, and every one of those possibilities mattered.

Although his time in this world was tragically brief, Aldrich's name and memory deserve to endure.

Abuse Angels remembers Aldrich Leathers.

Remembered. Honored. Never Forgotten.

OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS & REPORTS