By Patric Hedlund

Jayson Schimmel, 32 of Lockwood Valley was arrested Thursday, March 5 “for the murder of his biological son,” the Ventura County Sheriff’s department reports in an official statement issued the same day.

On March 2 at about 1 a.m., Lockwood Valley deputies were dispatched with lights and siren to the 17500 block of Maple Trail in Lockwood Valley in response to a “baby not breathing call,” Sgt. Michael Powers of the Major Crimes Unit reports.

Dispatchers coached the parents in providing CPR, then deputies took over when they arrived. Kern County Fire Department from Frazier Park and AMR Ambulance also responded to aid in the attempt to resuscitate two-and-a-half month old Steven Otto Schimmel.

The infant was transported by AMR ambulance to the U.S. Forest Service Chuchupate Ranger Station, then airlifted to Kern Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

Schimmel and the baby’s mother, Elizabeth Hill, 19 (who attended Frazier Mountain High School in 2007) were interviewed. “Steven’s mother and father are not married, but have lived together for a couple of years, in a guesthouse behind Jayson’s parent’s house,” Sgt. Powers reports. He continues: “Initial information indicated that Steven awoke crying, then while being fed with a bottle, went limp and subsequently stopped breathing for unknown reasons. At that point a 911 call was placed.”

An autopsy was performed by the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s office. The autopsy revealed that Steven Schimmel died of “blunt force head inuries.  Steven also had multiple bruises on other portions of his body, as well as multiple fractures, consistent with Battered Child Syndrome,” Powers reports.

“The investigation determined that Jayson Schimmel was responsible for the crime and probable cause existed to arrest him for murder,” Powers concludes. Captain Ross Bonfiglio, spokesperson for the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said “it had been going on for at least two weeks,” referring to the child’s injuries.

Sheriff’s Detective Scott Peterson arrested Jayson Schimmel at about 3:20 p.m. in Frazier Park, in front of Dunn Right Auto Repair on Mt. Pinos Way. Schimmel was taken to Ventura County Jail. He is being held on $505,000 bail and has a hearing in Ventura on March 9 at 1:30 p.m.

Detectives are asking anyone with information on the infant’s death to contact the sheriff’s major crimes unit at (805) 477-7000.

The Mountain Communities Family Resource Center (MCFRC) will be collecting donations to assist Beth Hill with the funeral services for her son.

The MCFRC is located at 3015 Mt. Pinos Way, suite 201, in Frazier Park. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-4 p.m.

All checks should be made out to the MCFRC with the name Steven Otto Schimmel in the memo field. Collected funds will go directly to the funeral services provider.

_{—updated 3/6/09 5:22 p.m. ph/cb}

This is part of the March 06, 2009 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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