Alaska Teacher Accused in Child's Death

(Barrow, Alaska) A 28-year-old elementary school teacher, Esther G. Edwards-Gust, and her boyfriend, 29-year-old Richard Tilden Jr., have been accused in the hypothermia death of Edwards-Gust's three-year-old daughter.

Edwards-Gust and Tilden face charges of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide. Tilden also faces murder and assault charges.

Tilden called 911 when he discovered the 3-year-old was unresponsive and not breathing Feb. 2.

Officers said Tilden smelled of alcohol when they were at the apartment, court documents said. The news was first reported by the Anchorage Daily News.

Tilden later said he bought two bottles of whiskey from a bootlegger and began drinking the night before the children were found in the bedroom with the open window and broken door latch, authorities said. Two empty bottles were found in the apartment.

Tilden also told officers he opened the bedroom window because the girls wet their beds, and he didn't close it before going to bed. In earlier interviews, Edwards-Gust told officers the girls were sleeping in their beds when she went to work that morning.

According to the documents, Tilden woke up about 12:30 p.m. on Feb. 2 and noticed both girls needed to be changed after soiling themselves. It was during the changing process that he noticed the older girl was unresponsive.

Sad case.