Fayette woman accused of killing 2-year-old son heading to trial
A Fayette County woman charged with killing her young son more than two years ago is heading to trial next month.
Counsel confirmed a starting trial date of Aug. 3 during a pretrial hearing for Brianna Bloyer in Fayette County Court of Common Pleas Monday morning. The trial is scheduled to last for five days.
If convicted of first-degree homicide, Bloyer could face life in prison. Earlier this year, District Attorney Mike Aubele removed an enhancement that would have let him seek the death penalty in the case, which he said was due to expenses and the limited personnel available.
Bloyer, 32, of Lake Lynn, is accused of abusing her 2-year-old son Bentlee Myers over several weeks in the summer of 2024.
A Head Start teacher who had come to the home for an appointment with another child in the home arrived to find Bloyer panicking over the condition of Bentlee, who was not breathing and whose face appeared blue, according to court testimony.
After the Head Start teacher called 911, Bentlee was taken to Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, W.Va., where he was declared dead three days later.
A coroner ruled Bentlee had died from blunt force trauma to the head. A state police trooper testified to numerous injuries, including brain bleed and significant bruising at several spots on his head.
The child’s father, Brent Bissett, is also facing homicide charges for allegedly being aware Bloyer was abusing the child and not interfering.