Inset left to right: Bentlee Myers and Brianna Bloyer (Fayette County District Attorney). Background: The residence where Bentlee was killed in Springhill Township, Pa. (Google Maps).
A Pennsylvania woman is facing significant time behind bars for violently killing her boyfriend's 2-year-old son and then searching online for ways to cover up his injuries.
On Thursday, Brianna Rufina Bloyer, 32, was convicted by a jury on one count of third-degree murder for the August 2024 death of Bentlee Myers.
Pennsylvania is one of only three jurisdictions in the entire country that still has the crime of third-degree murder on the books. The maximum sentence in the Keystone State is 40 years in prison.
The investigation began on Aug. 16, 2024, when an adult arrived at Bloyer's house on Old Lake Lynn Road in Springhill Township — a small community just across the West Virginia border — and found the child unresponsive.
The witness called 911 and told dispatchers the boy's feet were propped up, his face was blue, and he did not appear to be breathing, according to a criminal complaint obtained by The Observer-Reporter, CBS News, and Pittsburgh-based NBC affiliate WPXI.
First responders rushed Bentlee to a nearby hospital where medical staff pronounced him brain-dead, and the child succumbed to his injuries on Aug. 19, 2024.
On the day in question, the witness learned that Bloyer was aware of the boy's condition but had not called 911 herself.
By the time Bentlee made it to the hospital, he was covered in bruises and had suffered numerous internal injuries. His official cause of death was listed as "cardiac arrest by head trauma."
Bloyer would eventually tell investigators the child had been staying with her for roughly two weeks. The defendant said when she woke Bentlee up that morning, he stumbled around and then collapsed, according to the complaint.
Investigators conducted a search and obtained Bloyer's phone. On the device, police turned up a search from Aug. 16, 2024, reading: "how to get someone to come to when you pass out."
Bloyer made additional incriminating searches between Aug. 8 and 9, 2024, including: "why am I so much more angry while pregnant" and "what better to make bruises fade overnight," police allege.
The defendant also searched for "homemade bruise cream" and seemingly wanted to know how long it takes for carpet imprints on a face to fade by searching: "carpet imprint in face how long does it take to go away."
Police confirmed the woman's phone did not dial 911 the day Bentlee sustained his fatal injuries, according to the complaint.
During her trial, the state also provided evidence that Bentlee was covered in cuts in various states of healing, according to a courtroom report by Pittsburgh-based ABC affiliate WTAE.
Authorities also revealed who found Bentlee the day he was fatally injured.
"In a police interview, she admitted that she picked up and tossed the child and he hit his head hard," Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele told the TV station. "She did not call an ambulance. It was at least twenty minutes to an hour before a Head Start teacher arrived in the home and began to treat this child with CPR."
Pressed to account for his son's injuries, the boy's father had no idea the bruises were even there, police say. The father did, however, allegedly tell investigators he noticed his girlfriend was stressed out by and frustrated with the child.
The boy's father was later charged. He pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and cooperated in the case against Bloyer.
"This was a very horrible case," Aubele added in comments to WTAE. "We wanted her to be found guilty of murder, so we are satisfied with that. We did get justice for Bentlee today."
A sentencing date has not yet been set.
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