A Bluffdale couple has been arrested on suspicion of child abuse homicide after their 3-month-old son died on October 7, 2026. Investigators report that the parents had consumed alcohol and intentionally shared an adult bed with the infant, creating a fatal sleep environment. This marks the second time in roughly two years that the couple has lost an infant under their care.
Details of the Bluffdale Response and Investigation
According to the Bluffdale Police Department, emergency responders arrived at a home on West Napa Avenue at approximately 7:13 a.m. on Wednesday. Officers performed lifesaving measures on the unresponsive 3-month-old boy, identified as Atreyu Nick Romero, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police noted that pink-colored fluid came from the infant’s nose and mouth during CPR. While searching the bedroom, officers found multiple empty alcohol containers near the bed where the baby had been sleeping. Items suspected to be drug paraphernalia were also discovered in the home.
Parental Statements and Unsafe Sleeping Practices
The parents, Nicholas Patrick Romero, 40, and Christina Joy Patton, 39, were arrested and booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on suspicion of second-degree felony child abuse homicide. Probable cause affidavits outline admissions from both adults regarding their actions prior to the tragedy.
Court records show that Patton admitted to drinking three to four shots of whiskey between 7:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. the previous night, along with taking prescribed Adderall and buprenorphine/Suboxone. A later breath test measured her blood-alcohol level at 0.011%. Romero initially stated he had two drinks but later admitted to drinking four to five shots of whiskey. He refused a preliminary breath test.
Investigators stated the parents chose to co-sleep with the infant instead of using a safe sleep space. Romero said he placed the swaddled infant with a propped bottle inside a pillow between the parents in the adult bed before falling asleep around 11:45 p.m. Patton stated that when the baby cried at about 1:30 a.m., she unwrapped him, placed him on her chest, and later moved him to her right arm before they fell asleep.
At around 5:15 a.m., Romero woke up for work and found the infant pale, unresponsive, and not breathing against Patton’s body. The couple called 911 and attempted CPR, but revival efforts failed.
History of Prior Infant Loss and Criminal Negligence
Court documents reveal this is the second infant death for Patton and Romero. Their daughter, Catherine Irene Romero, was born on July 19, 2024, and died on October 24, 2024, also at roughly 3 months of age. Although Catherine’s obituary listed medical complications from birth, investigators noted the 2024 incident also involved unsafe sleep practices.
Detectives assert that the previous incident gave both parents a clear understanding of the risks tied to co-sleeping, alcohol consumption, and unsafe bedding. Because of these factors, authorities concluded the parents acted with criminal negligence, disregarding a substantial risk to their son’s life.
Broader Context on Infant Sleep Safety in Utah
Sudden unexpected infant deaths linked to unsafe sleep environments trigger thorough reviews across Utah. Cases are routinely examined by the Utah Department of Health and Human Services’ Child Fatality Review Committee to study statewide risk factors. Public safety officials and health advocates continuously urge caregivers to follow the ABCs of safe sleep: infants should sleep alone, on their backs, and in a bare crib, bassinet, or pack-and-play.
