Christian Reifler, just two months shy of his second birthday, died alone in a hot, upstairs bedroom where he'd been left alone for two days last week, police said.

His mother, Brandy M. Blair, 22, left him locked in a room while she went out with friends, smoked meth and watched movies, authorities allege.

Now she faces two counts of felony child abuse.

Court documents allege Blair put her son in the room on the evening of Monday, June 7, left the house and didn't return until Wednesday, June 9.

Another resident of the house gave the boy a glass of water at about 10 p.m.that Tuesday. Blair checked on him the morning of that Wednesday, saw him lying on the floor, thought he was asleep and covered him with a blanket.

The next time anyone saw him - about 7½ hours later at 5:30 p.m. that Wednesday - he was dead, with burns on both hands, lying on the floor near an electrical outlet with a metal staple stuck in it.

Authorities said earlier that Christian died of electrocution. Court documents say he also was dehydrated and emaciated. It is still unclear how long he was dead before residents of the home found him.

"No one fed the child, let the child out of his room, changed the child's diaper or checked to see if the child was awake, asleep or in this particular case dead," said an arrest warrant affidavit.

Deputy County Attorney Andrew Jacobsen said the room at 1907 L St. did not have air conditioning and the windows were closed. Between that Monday and Wednesday, high temperatures ranged from 84 degrees to 91 degrees.

Blair was arraigned Wednesday in Lancaster County Court on charges of child abuse resulting in the death of a child and felony child abuse. The first charge is punishable by 10 years to life in prison; the latter carries a maximum sentence of 20 years and a $25,000 fine.

During the arraignment, Lancaster County Judge Gale Pokorny asked Blair how she supported herself since she has been unemployed for three years. She didn't answer. He appointed the public defender to represent her. He also set Blair's bond at $100,000 cash and ordered she have no contact with children under 16.

Blair has one other son, Logan, who lives with her mother in Seward, Jacobsen said.

Kathie Osterman, spokeswoman for the state Department of Health and Human Services, said neither child has ever been a ward of the state.

And prosecutors investigating Christian's death said the state's Child Protective Services apparently had no contact with Blair concerning that child.

Last fall, Gov. Mike Johanns created a task force to look into the number of children who had died violent deaths in Nebraska: 10 in 2003 and more than 30 since 1997, including three in Lancaster County. In a number of the cases, Child Protective Services or law enforcement had received reports of abuse or neglect.

At the time Johanns created the task force, he said the community should also be concerned about cases where authorities were unaware of problems.

Lancaster County Attorney Gary Lacey said he thinks Christian's death falls into that category.

"I think it's (a case) that wasn't on the radar screen," he said.

Until this week, when the 22-month-old child died in a white frame house with roses growing around it, where he was living with his mother and four other adults.

All four adults were downstairs watching TVwhen when his mother left that Monday evening about 9 p.m., according to the court affidavit.

Authorities are continuing to investigate, including trying to determine the culpability of other adults in the house, said police Sgt. Larry Barksdale.

Blair told police that before she left that Monday she fed Christian a hamburger and mashed potatoes about 5 p.m., then put him to bed about 8 p.m., wedging a towel in the door so he couldn't open it and wander around the house.

She left with two friends, eventually ending up at the house two doors down, where she smoked methamphetamine.

Lacey said drug use appears to have played some part in what happened.

"It's often said as gospel that drug offenses have no victims," he said. "Well, tell that to Christian Reifler."

Blair spent most of that Tuesday with a friend, driving around and visiting other friends, according to the court affidavit.

The only attempt she made to check on her son was when she left a message for one of the residents, saying she'd be home that evening, the affidavit said. She also said to tell another resident she was sorry and to thank her for watching her child.

At about 10 p.m. that Tuesday, one of the residents gave Christian a glass of water.

Blair came home at 10 a.m. that Wednesday and checked on Christian, then went downstairs and watched movies until 4 p.m., the affidavit said.

At 5 p.m. Blair left with friends for Pawnee Lake, and asked one of the residents to watch her son.

He and another resident went to get Christian for dinner at 5:30 p.m., found him dead and called police.

Reach Margaret Reist at 473-7226 or mreist@journalstar.com.

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