Albany woman arrested for murder of her 3-year-old child

ALBANY, Ore. (KPTV) - An Albany woman was arrested Saturday afternoon after an investigation found her 3-year-old child dead, according to the Albany Police Department.

At around 2:30 p.m., Albany Police stopped 32-year-old Rebekah Gasperino in a traffic stop. During the stop, police came to the conclusion that she may be a danger to herself or others and that they needed to immediately check on the wellbeing of her 3-year-old girl who was left at home.

Police searched her home on Sun Place Southeast and found the child dead. Gasperino was taken to the Albany Police Department and into custody for first-degree murder.

Police notified the child’s father and extended family members.

Neighbors of Gasperino shared their grief, but did not what to be identified with their full names.

“We just can’t believe it,” said Verna, a neighbor. “Right here, this is my circle. I always think. This is my home. I know everybody and I just feel so bad I didn’t get to know them.”

“We haven’t had anything like this happen in our area so it’s shocking,” said John, another neighbor. “You’d see them out every once and a while. They pretty much kept to themselves.”

Neighbors started a memorial on the driveway outside the home with flowers, stuffed animals and balloons.

FOX 12 obtained court documents in the case. Gasperino had filed a restraining order against her husband, Scott, late last month. According to the documents, Gasperino said they were going through a divorce and she feared he would physically hurt her or their daughter, Sophia.

In the documents, Gasperino stated “Scott says he has a split personality named Bain and he is afraid of what it would do if it came out... I had visions of Scott abusing Sophia, but it was a prophecy from God of the future. I am a Christain.”

According to the restraining order, Scott had moved out of their home and had taken 3-year-old Sophia with him. In the document, Gasperino states “Scott is moved out. I want my 3-year-old back with me.”

In the documents, Gasperino said Scott promised to pay household bills for three months. She asked the court to order him to give her emergency money.

According to a trial memorandum filed late last month, there was a disagreement over how to divide up the home on Sun Place NE. The house was bought with money from an inheritance Gasperino received, but it was bought while the two were married, though only Rebekah Gasperino’s name is on the title.

Gasperino is scheduled to be arraigned at 3 p.m. on Monday.

Copyright 2022 KPTV-KPDX. All rights reserved.