Baby Bathtub Death Shows You Can't Let Your Guard Down

on September 15, 2011 at 2:15 PM

bathtub baby death Apparently we need some new bath time safety rules, as one mom thought it was okay to leave her 8-month-old baby soaking, with only her 2-year-old to supervise. Tragically, the baby drowned as mom hung out on the sofa eating cereal and taking a nap. Truly unbelievable, and yet another example of why we do have to tell new moms very simple baby and child care rules. We may all know that you never leave the room when your baby is around water, but obviously this lady thought her 2-year-old had it all under control.

While this is a truly horrible story, and again, the takeaway should be to never leave your baby in the bathtub unattended, is it really "Urgent Breaking News" as Nancy Grace puts it?

I mean, the baby is dead and the mom isn't out there eating cereal and taking naps with other babies in the tub. So there's no urgency in this matter. It is only urgent if this was something that every mom across America did on a regular basis, thus endangering babies constantly. Then, and only then, should Nancy Grace get all up in our business with her urgent breaking news. This is just another way Grace can get hysterical about moms who kill their kids.

Sure we're all disgusted by the cereal-eating, napping mom who is clearly not capable of being a parent. But let this be a reminder to never take your eye off your little ones in the tub, around pools, even near a bucket of water. Rather than a witch hunt for a mom who made a stupid and deadly mistake. What we should be focused on right now is the fact that children can drown in an incredibly short amount of time, and we should make sure every new mom knows that. You can't leave them alone to even run to the other room to grab a towel. Vigilance is the only way to keep your baby safe around water.

Sadly, this lady put snacking and sleeping way ahead of her children, and is now paying the ultimate price. Let it serve as a reminder to always, always be safe.

Have you ever left your baby alone in the tub?

About the author April Peveteaux

writes about anything that gets stuck in her craw. A mom of two in Los Angeles, she can't believe she practically lives in the country now after attempting to raise kids in Brooklyn.

Filed Under: baby health, bathtime, safety

Comments (19)

RanaAurora

on Sep 15, 2011 at 2:16 PM

Ugh. That's all I can say. It always amazes me how lax some people are.
No, I don't let my guard down for a second around water.

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Facebook comment from Evalyn Carnate

on Sep 15, 2011 at 2:27 PM

Good lord!!! Thats one of the first parent rules! ALWAYS have at least one hand on your baby while in the tub....and for her to COMPLETELY leave the room?!....Horrible...

Sarajesse

on Sep 15, 2011 at 2:37 PM

I cant believe she thought the 2 yr old had it under control! My son is 3 and I still supervise him! Crazy people

Stacey.

on Sep 15, 2011 at 2:39 PM

"What we should be focused on right now is the fact that children can drown in an incredibly short amount of time, and we should make sure every new mom knows that"

I'm sure every new mom knows that, it just a matter of making them care. Surely this lady isn't so dense she doesnt realize water can equal drowning. Seems like she just didn't give a rat's a$$. It's not like she ran out of the room to grab a towel real quick and came back to this. She was just chillin'.

elibee

on Sep 15, 2011 at 2:40 PM

No you've got it mixed up. SHE is not paying the ultimate price, her dead child already did. The idiot mother probably is not suffering that much, I mean, she preferred hanging out on the sofa than spending time with her kids.

Momma2blessed

on Sep 15, 2011 at 2:50 PM

Even the 2 year old shouldn't be left unsupervised in the bath! WTH was she thinking that the toddler can supervise the infant!?!

Melissa042807

on Sep 15, 2011 at 4:11 PM

What's sad is shit like this IS happening all over the country. Almost the exact same thing happened in my community not that long ago - a mother left her 9 month old and 18 month in the bathtub while she went to the corner store to get cigarettes. The 9 month old drowned and the 18 month old had gotten out of the tub and was wandering around the house. The father was deployed overseas and had to be called back home to deal with the tragedy.

I never never NEVER leave my son unsupervised in the bathtub. EVER. Accidents can happen to the best of us, but there is no excuse for pure stupidity.

aliwolly

on Sep 15, 2011 at 4:18 PM

I wonder if this woman was suffering from postpartum depression. It just seems like someone could not possibly be in their right mind and do something like that.

jkm89

on Sep 15, 2011 at 5:09 PM

My husband was bathing our 17-month old last night while I was finishing dinner. I saw him come into the living room to grab something and I just about shit a brick. So disappointed that he didn't think there was anything wrong with it. Fortunately my son was ok but it makes me even sadder to hear about this poor baby.

Facebook comment from Beverly Payton

on Sep 16, 2011 at 12:20 PM

April, thank you for this important post. I'm on the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (ndpa.org) board of directors and we just released a study of tracked drowning news reports. We found that 6 percent of all child drownings happen in bathtubs. Babies and toddlers can also drown in buckets, toilets, coolers full of melting ice, and even pet water dishes. Obviously it's crucial to never leave a child unsupervised, for even a moment, near any body of water. It's also important to make sure that those who care for your child, including other adults, are mature, responsible and aware of drowning risks. Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional death for children under 14. Backyard swimming pools are the most common drowning site for 1-4 yr. olds. Nearly half of all children who drown in a backyard pool were last seen in the house and were missing for 5 minutes or less. Drowning is also a silent event; there is no splashing sound or cries for help. Please completely surround your backyard pool with a 4-ft-high isolation fence with a self-closing, self-latching gate. To learn more visit PoolSafely.gov and ndpa.org.