{"id":31431,"date":"2025-07-02T02:27:09","date_gmt":"2025-07-02T02:27:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/31431\/"},"modified":"2025-07-02T02:27:09","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T02:27:09","slug":"jacksonville-toddler-left-with-permanent-brain-damage-after-near-bathtub-drowning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/31431\/","title":{"rendered":"Jacksonville toddler left with permanent brain damage after near bathtub drowning"},"content":{"rendered":"

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.<\/strong> \u2013 The recent arrest of a Jacksonville mother charged with child neglect is putting a spotlight on how easy it is for a small child to drown while left unattended in a bathtub. <\/p>\n

While child neglect is a serious crime, News4JAX made an editorial decision not to identify the mother, as the arrest report suggests the incident stemmed from an accidental distraction rather than willful neglect.<\/p>\n

The drowning happened last year, but the mother was arrested a few days ago on a warrant for child neglect. <\/p>\n

The mother told investigators she placed her toddler in the bathtub and started running the water before tending to a work-related phone call \u2013 something she said she had done before with no problems, according to the report.<\/p>\n

She said the child usually stands in the tub. But on this particular day, she did not realize a white washcloth was in the tub. The cloth was clogging the drain and allowing the tub to fill with water. <\/p>\n

Mere minutes had gone by, and by the time the mother returned to the bathroom, she found her child floating face down in a full tub of water. The child was taken to Wolfson Children\u2019s Hospital, where doctors managed to save the toddler, but said the lack of oxygen during the drowning caused permanent brain damage. <\/p>\n

News4JAX Crime and Safety Analyst Tom Hackney said, despite the incident being an accident, police had no other choice but to charge the mom with child neglect. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a tragedy, no matter how you slice it, but that doesn\u2019t remove the responsibility from the parent or caregiver. That\u2019s their number one task, and they\u2019re responsibilities and consequences. Aside from the death or injury of a child, there are consequences with eh law. For neglecting that child,\u201d Hackney said before explaining how this case is an example of how a distraction, such as a phone call, can lead to a tragic event that results in a parent being criminally charged. <\/p>\n

\u201cYour attention is diverted, and this case we\u2019re talking about, a phone call. It just takes a matter of seconds before tragedy can strike. \u201cIt\u2019s never safe to turn your back. It\u2019s never safe to handle any other business. The water temperature plays a role. That water can get scalding quickly. The tub fills up, and the baby\u2019s face goes down. It doesn\u2019t take much, and it doesn\u2019t take long,\u201d Hackney said. <\/p>\n

According to data compiled by multiple child advocacy and medical organizations on child drownings:<\/p>\n