Police jail mom and her boyfriend in death of child at Colfax motel

Lysander Harvey

LAKEWOOD – Two residents of a Lakewood motel are jailed on multiple counts of child abuse in the death of a 3-year-old boy who died at Children’s Hospital late Wednesday.

Lakewood Police detectives arrested the child’s mother and her boyfriend after Denver police, who initially were called after the child arrived at the St. Anthony Central Hospital with what detectives described as “severe life-threatening” injuries. The child, Elijah Carpenter, was transferred to Children’s Hospital, where he died

Kristina Carpenter

Wednesday just before midnight, according to Lakewood police.

Denver officers initially were called to investigate, contacted Lakewood Police about 2 a.m. Wednesday after they discovered the scene of the suspected crime, the Mesa Motor Lodge at 5600 West Colfax Ave., is in Lakewood.

“The child had been staying at that location with his mother and her boyfriend,” according to Steve Davis, LPD spokesman.

The child’s mother, Kristina Marie Carpenter, 25, took the injured child to St. Anthony Central before he was transferred to Children’s Hospital.

When Lakewood Police detectives arrived at Mesa Motor Lodge, they interviewed the mother’s boyfriend, Lysander Benjamin Harvey, 21.

Detectives found that Harvey’s explanation of the circumstances surrounding the boy’s injuries were “inconsistent” with the nature and severity of the child’s injuries, according to Davis. Carpenter and Harvey were arrested on suspicion of child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury later Wednesday, hours before Elijah’s death.

“Detectives will ask the District Attorney’s Office to amend the charges following the death of Elijah Carpenter,” according to Davis.

Carpenter and Harvey are in Jefferson County Jail in lieu of $50,000 cash bond. Both are scheduled to appear in court April 20 to be advised of the charges they face.