PROVO -- A man left in charge of a 7-month-old disabled child was charged with abuse and neglect after the boy died Saturday.

Capt. Cliff Argyle with the Provo Police Department said Alec Nicolaysen, 40, was watching the boy for about an hour on Saturday afternoon while his parents ran some errands. Nicolaysen was the family's landlord. The boy had a heart condition and required oxygen at all times.

The boy's parents came home at about 5:30 p.m. Saturday and called paramedics because the child was clearly in distress, Argyle said. Police officers went along to investigate.

The parents told police that they came back to find Nicolaysen holding the boy, who was blue and limp. Nicolaysen was not providing any medical help, according to police documents. He told police that while he was baby-sitting, the baby began to turn blue; he tried to get a hold of the mother but only left a message. He did not call 911 or administer CPR. The baby was taken to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo. He died that night.

"That part is still under investigation, but it is obvious that the child did not get any oxygen for a substantial amount of time," Argyle said.

Nicolaysen came to the police department after 20 minutes of police officers knocking on his door. He refused to answer questions at the police station.

Nicolaysen was arrested on Sunday for abuse or neglect of a disabled child, which is a third-degree felony.