A Mother’s Heartbreak
The quiet community of Lincoln County, Oregon, was shaken last March when two-year-old Dane Paulsen vanished from his family’s property near the Siletz River. For ten agonizing days, search teams, neighbors, and local law enforcement scoured the area before the heartbreaking discovery: Dane’s body was found three miles downstream.
Months later, his mother, Chamet Jackson, is still searching — not for her son, but for answers. In an emotional interview with KOIN 6 News, Jackson described her grief, frustration, and the unanswered questions that continue to haunt her.
“I just want answers,” Jackson said softly. “I feel like I deserve some answers for Dane. No parent should ever have to go through what we’re going through.”
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The Day Dane Disappeared
March 1, 2025, began like any other day for the family. Jackson says she was inside a trailer with her father while Dane played in the yard. She recalls hearing her son’s laughter one last time through the window.
“Dane giggled like somebody was tickling him,” she said. “I called out to him — ‘bubby’ — but I couldn’t see him. Then the giggling stopped. I went around the trailer, and he was gone.”
Panic set in immediately. Jackson and her family began searching frantically around the property before alerting authorities. What followed was a massive 10-day search involving local law enforcement, volunteers, and divers.
The desperate search came to a devastating end when a diver located Dane’s body in the Siletz River, about three miles from the family’s home. “For him to be so close to home, and so beautiful — he looked like he was sleeping,” Jackson recalled tearfully.
Investigation and Arrest
Authorities initially ruled the toddler’s death as accidental drowning, finding no evidence of criminal activity. But months later, in a surprising turn, a Lincoln County grand jury indicted Dane’s father, Aaron Paulsen, on a charge of second-degree child neglect.
Prosecutors allege that Paulsen allowed Dane to wander unsupervised toward the river. “What the state anticipates the evidence will show,” explained District Attorney Jenna Wallace, “is that he was left in the care of his father, who saw him walk out the door, knowing that no other adult was outside to supervise — and did not follow after him.”
Paulsen has since pleaded not guilty, and his attorney, Rich Cohen, emphasized his client’s innocence. “My client’s entry of a plea of not guilty can be accurately viewed as a public assertion of his innocence,” Cohen stated.
A Mother’s Doubts
For Jackson, the charges have reopened emotional wounds and raised more questions than answers. She believes there are inconsistencies in the case that have yet to be addressed.
“It’s reliving a nightmare and inducing emotional trauma that’s long-lasting,” Jackson said. “I want to know what investigators did about the car that was seen nearby.”
Although the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office later cleared the driver in question, Jackson says other details still trouble her — including how her son was found.
“He didn’t leave the house with his jacket zipped up,” she said. “Dane couldn’t dress himself. But when they found him, his jacket was fully zipped and his hood was on. That doesn’t make sense.”
Authorities Defend Investigation
In response, District Attorney Wallace defended the thoroughness of the investigation, calling it “extraordinary and exhaustive.”
“The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the Major Crime Team, and the FBI thoroughly investigated all feasible leads and community tips,” Wallace said in a written statement. “Forty-plus detectives continued to pursue and exhaust alternative theories. Verifiable evidence pointed to Dane being at the river’s edge before falling in. The autopsy confirmed drowning, with no additional trauma to his body.”
Wallace added that the grand jury’s review ensured community oversight. “This investigation was presented to ensure public accountability in a tender-age child fatality,” she wrote. “Despite exploring other theories, the grand jury still found sufficient evidence to indict Aaron Paulsen for neglect.”
A Mother’s Ongoing Fight for Clarity
Despite those official conclusions, Jackson remains unconvinced. Her son’s room, she says, remains untouched — a quiet memorial to the little boy who loved to laugh and explore.
“Life will never be the same without Dane,” she said. “He was full of energy, always curious, always smiling. He was my world.”
She continues to advocate for further transparency and investigation, saying her persistence is often misunderstood. “It’s not that I don’t respect law enforcement. I do, and I’m grateful for everything they did,” Jackson said. “But it doesn’t mean my questions go away. You get labeled as some hysterical mother who won’t quit — but what parent would quit?”
Remembering Dane
Friends and family describe Dane as a rambunctious, joyful child who loved being outdoors. His laughter filled the home and the yard where he last played. For Jackson, every memory is a reminder of both love and loss.
As she continues to seek closure, Jackson says her only goal is to ensure her son’s death is fully understood — and that no stone is left unturned.
“I just want the truth,” she said. “If there’s something more to know, I need to know it — for Dane.”
The Road Ahead
The case remains emotionally charged for everyone involved. With Paulsen awaiting trial and the community still reeling, Lincoln County residents continue to rally around the family. Support groups and local advocates have reached out to Jackson, offering emotional and legal support as she navigates her grief and the judicial process.
For Jackson, however, no amount of comfort can fill the space her son left behind. “I talk to him every day,” she said quietly. “I tell him I’m still fighting for him. That I won’t stop until I understand what really happened.”
Conclusion
The tragedy of two-year-old Dane Paulsen has left a deep mark on Oregon’s coast — a reminder of the fragility of life, the complexity of grief, and a mother’s relentless pursuit of truth.
As the legal proceedings continue, Jackson’s words echo through a community still healing:
“I just want answers. I just want peace for my baby.”
