Stepmother of Gavin Peterson sentenced for murder and aggravated child abuse

OGDEN, Utah (ABC4) — Gavin Peterson’s stepmother, who pleaded guilty to murder, was sentenced to 15 years to life for his murder. Gavin was 12 years old when the Weber County Sheriff’s Office responded to a child found unresponsive at a home in West Haven. He would pass away, leading to an investigation into years of abuse at the hands of his family.

Nichole Lea Scott, 51, pleaded guilty to eight charges on April 17, 2025. Today, Judge Camille L. Neider of the Second District Court sentenced her for Gavin’s death. She was sentenced to 15 years to life for first-degree murder, 1-15 years each for three charges of aggravated child abuse, 1-15 years each for two charges of obstruction of justice, up to five years for endangerment of a child or vulnerable adult, and up to 364 days in jail for possession or use of a controlled substance. These will all run consecutively.

In the courtroom

A letter from Gavin’s sister, who also suffered abuse at the hands of Shane Peterson and Scott, was read in the courtroom.

“Please don’t give these inhumane people a second chance at living a normal life. That is the first thing Gavin deserved,” the letter read.

Letitia Toombs, an attorney for the State of Utah, recommended the maximum sentence for Scott. She said that Scott accused Gavin of being naughty and difficult to deal with, but stated that the only ones who believed he was naughty were Scott, Shane Peterson, and Tyler Peterson.

“What everybody else saw was a respectful little boy, a kind little boy, a loving little boy, and a hungry little boy,” Toombs stated. “His only transgression reported by school staff… was that he would take food… because Nichole was not feeding him.”

Toombs read messages between Scott and Shane Peterson detailing Scott’s frustration and statements of hatred toward Gavin. She additionally described Scott’s abuse of other family members and lack of care toward Gavin, leading to his death.

“Your honor, for all of the reasons stated — as well as the stipulated sentence — we ask the court to impose the maximum sentence possible,” Toombs concluded.

Randall Marshall, defense attorney for Scott, then spoke. He stated that Gavin was in fact a difficult child to deal with and that Scott was overwhelmed and doing what she could in the moment.

“I’m not justifying it, I’m just trying to help the court understand that at the time she was just so overwhelmed it was difficult for her to think straight,” Marshall stated. He referenced some child abuse that Scott endured as a child.

“She recognizes just how awful this was, and she’s truly sorry,” Marshall said. “She’s accepting responsibility.”

“There’s no sentence long enough, no punishment severe enough to reflect the depth of suffering that Gavin endured and the complete absence of humanity that was shown to him by the defendant,” Brandon Merrill, the victim representative, shared after the defense concluded. “We ask that you impose the maximum sentence under law.”

Scott stood and addressed Judge Neider through tears. She apologized to her children and the family of Gavin. She said that she wished she could go back and change things.

“I’m so sorry that I failed him. I’m just sorry, Gavin,” Scott said.

Finally, Judge Neider read her judgment. She addressed Scott directly, ensuring that she understood the gravity of the situation.

“This is an absolutely horrific case. I want you to understand how seriously we have all taken it,” Judge Neider stated.

During her description of the details of Gavin’s death and the abuse that preceded it, Judge Neider stated that she didn’t believe that he was difficult to deal with. She said that it seemed he was trying to do whatever he could to earn affection and be compliant.

“I can imagine this little boy, sitting in the doctor’s office with you… and agreeing with whatever you said about him. One, because if he crossed you, you were gonna punish him. And two, because he wanted to survive. He wanted to live, he wanted to go to school, he wanted to eat with the family, he wanted to be able to go to the barbecues, he wanted to be able to go to Lagoon,” Judge Neider stated.

The judge further states that Scott was the “architect” of abuse in the home, and that she could have stopped it at any point over at least five years. Instead of stopping it, she roped in Tyler Peterson and had him help punish Gavin, Judge Neider said.

Judge Neider took a moment to address Melanie Peterson, Gavin’s biological mother. She expressed that Melanie Peterson and other family members would be impacted by this grief and tragedy for the rest of their lives, and that went into consideration during sentencing.

“Nichole, never again should you have this kind of contact with a child. Never again should you publicly see the outside of a prison. And never again should this ever happen to another 12-year-old little boy, that he’s starved to death in response to what someone perceives as behavioral issues,” Judge Neider said to Scott. “Why? Because this is not what we do to other human beings.”

“I don’t know that you will get out, and frankly, I hope that you don’t get out. I think that it’s entirely fair for you at this point to serve the rest of your life in prison,” Judge Neider told Scott.

Scott stood as her sentence was read out to her, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Background information

Scott was arrested only days after Gavin’s death at a Weber County hospital on July 9, 2024. Gavin’s father, Shane Jesse Peterson, and brother, Tyler Shane Peterson, were also arrested. Tyler and Shane Peterson were charged with child abuse homicide, and Scott was charged with murder.

Following their arrest, the Utah Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) released documents detailing an investigation into the abuse that Gavin endured for years, eventually leading to his death on July 9. DCFS concluded that Gavin suffered “severe and chronic physical abuse and severe and chronic physical neglect.”

On March 20, Shane Peterson pleaded guilty to five felony charges: one count of child abuse homicide, three counts of aggravated child abuse, and one count of endangerment of a child. He received the maximum sentence from Judge Neider on Tuesday, April 6.

He was sentenced to five years to life for the child abuse homicide charge, three 1 – 15 year sentences for aggravated child abuse, and up to five years for child endangerment. These sentences will run consecutively.

“I agree that you should be given the maximum sentence,” Judge Neider stated at Shane Peterson’s sentencing. “I am also going to encourage the board to keep you until you die.”

Tyler Peterson, Gavin’s brother, was released for treatment due to mental health recommendations from his attorney. He pleaded guilty to child abuse homicide, two counts of aggravated child abuse, and obstruction of justice on the same day as his father. Tyler Peterson’s sentencing is not set, but he will be in court on May 22 to review his treatment plan.