A Denver man with a lengthy and violent criminal history stretching back nearly two decades has been charged with the murder of a two-year-old child.
A Disturbing Pattern of Alleged Violence
Nicolas Stout, 38, was arrested by the Denver Police Department on Sunday and booked into the city's downtown detention centre. He faces one count of first-degree murder and one count of child abuse resulting in death, charges that render him ineligible for bond.
The arrest followed a police call to the 100 block of South Vrain Street in the West Barnum neighbourhood at around 7:30pm on Sunday. Officers responded to reports of an unresponsive two-year-old and discovered the child already deceased. Stout was taken into custody shortly afterwards.
The identity and gender of the toddler have not been released by authorities, and it remains unclear what relationship, if any, Stout had to the child. Police have stated the investigation is ongoing.
An Extensive Criminal Record Revealed
Following the arrest, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation compiled Stout's significant criminal record, which details six serious prior incidents beyond the weekend's charges.
His history with law enforcement began in 2005 with charges for felony theft, third-degree assault, and second-degree kidnapping. Records do not specify the outcomes of these cases.
The following year, in 2006, Stout was arrested for sexual assault on a child. Again, documentation does not indicate a conviction or whether he was required to register as a sex offender in Colorado.
In 2012, he faced six counts of possession of a weapon by an ex-offender and one count of impersonating a peace officer. While the weapon charges were dismissed by the district attorney, Stout was found guilty of impersonation and sentenced to one year of probation.
That 2012 conviction marked his last known encounter with the courts for 14 years, until this weekend's murder charges.
Severe Legal Consequences Ahead
Stout now faces the most severe penalties under Colorado law. First-degree murder is a Class 1 felony carrying a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment without parole. The state abolished the death penalty in 2020, eliminating that possibility.
The accompanying charge of child abuse resulting in death carries a complex sentencing structure. If committed knowingly or recklessly, it is a Class 2 felony punishable by 8 to 24 years in prison and fines from $5,000 to $1 million.
However, if the suspect was in a position of trust and knowingly committed the crime against a victim under 12, the charge is elevated to the equivalent of first-degree murder, carrying the same life sentence.
Stout is currently being held without bond at the Denver detention centre as authorities continue their investigation.
