First responders from across the region gathered in Dillon this week to celebrate the short life of Sammy Duet, a two-year-old boy whose badly decomposed remains were discovered inside a Lima home last fall — a death that has since resulted in criminal charges against his own mother and grandfather.

Sammy's mother, Nicole Boyer, self-reported his death to authorities and was taken into custody immediately after. She now faces a deliberate homicide charge. His grandfather, Christopher Cox, is charged with negligence in connection with the child's death. The case has shaken the small communities of Dillon and Lima, both of which are roughly two hours south of Helena in Beaverhead County.

The memorial gathering, organized by and for the first responders who worked the case, was described as a way to acknowledge Sammy's life amid what has been a deeply difficult investigation. Law enforcement and emergency personnel who respond to cases involving children often seek ways to process the weight of that work, and Tuesday's event reflected that.

Charges against Boyer and Cox are pending in Beaverhead County. No trial dates have been set publicly as of this week.