News of Doom 2.0

PEORIA — Benjamin Sargent died with his eyes open, fists clenched and strapped into a car seat after eight days without food or water, authorities say.

The 5-month-old was dropped off at his parents’ house on Feb. 4, wearing a bright-blue snowsuit and strapped into his car seat. Eight days later, he was found in the filth-strewn home in the same position, Peoria County State’s Attorney Kevin Lyons said Wednesday during a bond hearing for the parents, Tracy D. Hermann, 21, and James E. Sargent, 23, both of Peoria, who are charged with murder for their son’s death.

The charges state the parents’ actions, or lack thereof, were “brutal and heinous ... indicative of wanton cruelty,” factors that could mean they face up to 100 years in prison if convicted.

Lyons also said he might seek the death penalty for the two. State law allows a capital charge if the accused is older than 17 and the victim is younger than 12.

“He died from starvation due to neglect from these two defendants, his parents,” Lyons said, spitting out the last word with contempt.

A person who was staying at an unattached garage adjacent to the house had seen Benjamin at some point, thought it was “odd” that he was still on the living room floor after being dropped off and moved him, car seat and all, into the other room.

There Benjamin sat for eight days, most of which both Hermann and Sargent were home, “playing video games, watching TV, feeding and caring for themselves,” Lyons said afterward.