Parents of Iowa infant found rotting in swing plead not guilty

Nov. 9 (UPI) -- The parents of a infant whose dead body was found rotting and covered in maggots in a child swing pled not guilty to murder charges.

Cheyanne Renae Harris, 20, and Zachary Paul Koehn, 28, pled not guilty to first-degree murder and child endangerment Tuesday in the death of their 4-moth-old son Sterling Daniel Koehn on Aug. 30.

The infant weighed less than 7 pounds and was 14 inches long at the time of the autopsy placing him in the 5th percentile in size and weight.

Harris and Cohen were arrested after Chickasaw County sheriff's arrived at their home to find the dead child sitting in a powered swing as maggots were discovered in the boy's clothing and skin.

The child was in a separate room from where from where Koehn, Harris and their older child slept and authorities said the findings were inconsistent with the parent's statements that the infant was "fine" when Harris fed him at 9 a.m. but was found dead at 11 or 11:30 a.m. when she returned to check on him.

A trial date has not been set and the couple demanded a speedy trial as both remain in custody until the pending hearing.