Man Accused Of Killing, Burning Toddler's Genital Charged With Murder; $1 Million Bail Set

A Wyoming man who was accused of burning a toddler's genital, killing him and then disposing of his body in a dumpster in February has been charged with the child's murder.

Wyatt Dean Lamb, 27, boyfriend of the toddler's mother Kassandra Orona, was charged with one count of first-degree murder and 10 counts of child abuse for the death of 2-year-old Athian Rivera. He was made aware of the charges during his preliminary court appearance in Cheyenne Tuesday. Lamb's bail has been set at $1 million, reported AP News.

Rivera's body was found in a dumpster on Feb. 19, two hours after he was reported missing. The body was wrapped in a sheet, a blanket and five trash bags.

The boy died from brain swelling caused by blunt force trauma, lack of oxygen to the brain or both, Wyoming Tribune Eagle said in a report.

The coroner said the boy had sustained numerous abrasions and bruises on his head, back, chest, belly and arms. His genitals also had burns that were consistent with a butane torch found in the apartment the child had lived in, the police affidavit made public this week indicated. The size and shape of the burn marks on the toddler appeared to be similar to the shape and size of the torch burner, AP News noted.

Lamb was living with Orona and her three children in an apartment at the time of the child's death.

According to Orona, Lamb watched her children while she worked at a sandwich shop the night before her son was killed. She came home at about 3:30 a.m. and was later awakened by Lamb as he insisted that she drive her daughter to school, court documents revealed.

After the couple got back from school, Orona went back to sleep. Lamb woke her up again after 12 p.m. and notified her that Rivera was missing.

Lamb told police he had come back to his apartment after Orona's arrival from work. According to him, he returned later in the morning after Orona called him to say Rivera was nowhere to be found.

Police went to the address where Lamb previously lived but were told he moved out in August 2020. They also got in touch with taxi companies but found no records of a trip taken by Lamb.

Lamb was arrested and jailed on an unrelated charge after the toddler's body was found. He faced bond revocation in connection with a 2020 charge of felony strangulation of Oronan and with misdemeanor property destruction and interfering with a peace officer.