Dad Pays for Son's Death With Suicide

S A L T   L A K E   C I T Y, July 19 -- A man who was due to report to jail forthe death of his 2-year-old son apparently killed himself in thesame mountains where the boy wandered off and froze.

Paul Wayment's body was found Wednesday, hours after he wassupposed to surrender to begin serving a 30-day sentence. A huntingrifle and pair of binoculars were found at Wayment's side.

Wayment, 38, pleaded no contest Tuesday to negligent homicidefor leaving son Gage alone in a pickup truck for 45 minutes whilehe scouted for deer last October. When Wayment returned, the boywas gone. Gage's frozen body was found five days later, more than amile from the truck.

"In one brief and monumental moment while Gage slept in thetruck, I made the biggest mistake of my life," Wayment said beforehis sentencing. "If I could change places with my son, I wouldgive up my life in a second."

Wayment apparently shot himself in the head, Summit Countysheriff's Detective Robert Berry said.

Wayment told his family as they left the courtroom Tuesday thathe was "going to drive up into the mountains to be by himself fora little while," Berry said.

Still Dressed in His Court Clothes

Berry said Wayment, who was still dressed in his court clothes,walked around a small pond and out to a low rise.

"From there he could look out at all the country where thesearch went on for his son," Berry said.

The sentence from District Judge Robert K. Hilder was asurprise, because prosecutors had recommended against jail time asa condition of Wayment's no contest plea to negligent homicide.

"He could have done the jail time," Wayment's attorney GlenCook told KUTV. "I think it was the overwhelming burden at thatpoint that tipped the scale."

Hilder said the death revived memories of his own father'ssuicide 20 years ago.

"If the jail sentence I imposed was a factor, large or small,in Mr. Wayment's decision, I regret that result with all my heart,but I cannot change my decision," Hilder said in a statement.