Parents plead not guilty in son’s death in hot car

From staff and wire reports

Wednesday, July 30, 2008 | 12:34 p.m.

A father and mother pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges in the death of their 4-year-old son, who authorities say was forgotten in a sun-baked vehicle outside their Las Vegas home.

A court spokeswoman said today trial was set Sept. 8 in Clark County District Court for 51-year-old Stanley Rimer and 40-year-old Colleen Rimer.

The Rimers were arrested June 25 and indicted last week on one charge each of second-degree murder and six counts each of child abuse or neglect.

Stanley Rimer is jailed on $250,000 bail. Colleen Rimer is free on bail.

Family members found the little boy dead June 9 in the back seat of the family's SUV after he spent 17 hours in the vehicle. The coroner determined on July 18 that Jason had died from heat exposure.

Four other Rimer children, ages 9 to 15, were taken into protective custody after Jason's death. Several charges against the parents stem from conditions related to the four other children.

Police went to the home at about 8:30 a.m. on June 9 after receiving a phone call that the boy was cold and not moving in the vehicle.

Colleen Rimer told police dispatchers that Jason had been in the SUV since 3 p.m. Sunday, June 8, when the family had returned from church.

The Rimer family had come to the attention of Child Protective Services 23 times between 1998 and May 2007.