Current Conditions in OH
Click for Gallipolis, Ohio Forecast
Become an e-Reporter
Send us your News and Weather pictures & videos. Click on the pictures to submit
Call To Check Road Conditions
·WEST VIRGINIA: (877) 982-7623
·KENTUCKY: (866) 737-3767
·OHIO: (888) 264-7623
CLICK HERE for online road conditions.
Update: Infant Drowns In Bathtub Save Email Print
Posted: 10:58 AM May 6, 2008
 Last Updated: 8:07 PM May 6, 2008
 Reporter: WSAZ News Staff
Email Address: news@wsaz.com
104 comments
A | A | A

PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (WSAZ)--In Portsmouth, police say a 10- month old baby drowned Monday afternoon in a bathtub. Police received the call just after lunch on Monday. When police responded to Wayne Hills public housing district they found ten month old nevaeh wasn’t breathing.

Police say a 19 year old mother put her ten month old daughter and her two year old girl in the upstairs bathtub and started running water. The mother told police that she went downstairs lost track of time and when someone went back upstairs the baby wasn’t breathing.

Neighbors say the young mother brought the baby out of the apartment pleading for help. “She said that she came downstairs for shampoo, I don’t blame her there were two other adults in the house,” said Charlene Carmichael, a neighbor.

Police don’t believe drugs or alcohol were involved, and they didn’t arrest the mother, they also left the two year old child in her care. Police will likely send this case to the grand jury.

“A grand jury could charge her child endangerment for leaving the child unattended and/or the charge of involuntary manslaughter,” Lt Lynn Brewer of the Portsmouth Police department said.

The state medical examiner will do an autopsy on the ten month old. The county prosecutor says those results will weigh heavily in any grand jury presentation.

More Stories
Hurricane Gustav Could Have Local Impact

Your Weekend Ahead

OU Police Chief Leaving

One Dead in Scioto Crash

 Tractor-Trailer Safety Emphasized

Local Demand for Literacy Volunteers

Ironton Bridge Open to Traffic Today

Tri-State Income Below National Average
Post Your Comments
First Name:
Location:
Enter Comments: characters left
Email (optional):
Email will not be displayed on site. For station contact purpose only.
Read Comments
Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.
Posted by: ec on May 25, 2008 at 02:00 AM
If for some reason I couldn't take the baby with me to get the shampoo, and there were two other adults in the house, I would think I'd yell for one of them to bring the shampoo upstairs.. but that's just me. And maybe I don't understand Charlene Carmichael's quote, but I hope she doesn't have any small children at home.
Posted by: anonymous on May 21, 2008 at 01:07 PM
this is very sad that this happened to this beautiful baby and my prayers go out to the little sister and the mother and the rest of her family i was reading the story on here and it was saying that the mother may be charged well this could have very well been just horrable accident i am sure that this mother loved her babies i think that if the police want to charge somebody they should charge somebody with death of a little girl named kelly haddox that died in febuary from blunt force trauma in other words the little girl was probably beaten to death and still nobody arrested yet and they want to spend time trying to charge this mother who loves her kids.
Posted by: Tammy on May 17, 2008 at 08:42 PM
I am so sorry for your loss. To all these people who believe that this young mother did this intentionally you need to go to the my space sight that I think a Great Uncle set up. I to had blame on the mother,but if you watch the video you can clearly see this mother loved not only her children , but other parents children as well. Neiter of her two chidren looked to be bruised or mistreated and if she did not love her children why would she have so many pictures of them? To MOM,don't give up for you have another precious child to live for and she needs you as much as you need her.You only have one judge and that is God , so don't worry about all the people who think they make no mistakes! You and your family are in my prayers!Your angel will ALWAY'S be with you!
Posted by: Anonymous on May 15, 2008 at 06:12 PM
Well, I am also sorry that this happened, but lets get real. This story should be investigated to no end. No one leaves a child that old in a bathtub! Sorry, but it just doesn't happen.
Posted by: one day! on May 14, 2008 at 11:58 PM
accidents do happen! And this could have been avoided! But i pray for this young lady cause she will have to deal with this forever.
Posted by: Ms.Money on May 13, 2008 at 02:22 PM
Here Is A Link To Nevaeh Memorial Page.. Come Show Your Love And Support http://www.myspace.com/youaresoblessed
Posted by: a neighbor on May 13, 2008 at 12:57 PM
i just5 posted a comment a few minutes ago but i feel i have to post another one in rosponse to the idiot saying because its low income housing and it was around the first of the month that there was still money for crack and u would like to know if it was the mother or the baby that was smoking it. You are so immature to say something like that...and for u to make a comment like that shows me how low your i.q really is. u kind of people assume that because someone lives in low income housing that we get welfare and do drugs. i myself do neither...and as far as the mother of the baby goes...i knew her pretty well because i'm a neighbor and i have never seen the mother do anything remotely close to doing drugs...so think about what u say from now on before u open your big mouth!!!!
Posted by: Sherri on May 13, 2008 at 12:33 PM
I know the mother and the baby both in this story...i was also there and helped in doing cpr on the baby. Eventhough i miss the baby and this has been very hard for me to deal with, the mother is still my friend. I have never seen the mother do anything wrong towards them kids. From what I've seen, she was a very good mother. I just have to believe that accidents happen and it was a very bad lapse in judgement on her part but that doesn't change the way i think about her. Let's face it...none of us are perfect parents.
Posted by: Anonymous on May 9, 2008 at 06:31 PM
Dear Kathy S, It sounds like you need to listen to your own advise. I am sorry this mother has to go through all this pain, but making excuses for her action is not going take the pain away or bring her baby back. It's not ok to let neglegence go unpunished. My first response is where's the rest of the story? why did the two adults in the house not help that this mother had to go outside begging for help? I find this odd? I feel their is a lot of unanswered questions. Why can't the use of a lie detector be used more often. I'm confused by how she lost track of time but was gone for 2-3 minutes. It can not be both. Was she gone for 2-3 minutes or lose track of time. I'm thinking it was longer. I'm also wondering why a mother would think to leave a child alone let alone with another child who may not have known better a may have knocked the 10 month over thinking it was play time.
Posted by: Jamie on May 9, 2008 at 01:45 PM
i belive that people make mistake and i have held and been around that baby and her mom and she would NEVER hurt her baby in anyway shape or form. So before you all start to judge get to know the person.This is to all the people that was saying she was a bad mom.
Posted by: Crystal on May 9, 2008 at 12:05 PM
I read about these stories all the time and they should know that you DON"T leave not one but TWO small kids in the tub alone , yea it was an accident, i have two kids myself 10 and 6 and im in there until they get out of the tub ALWAYS .. She said that she came downstairs for shampoo,well it said their were two other adults in the house, why couldnt she just holler down stairs and tell one of them to BRING the shampoo up to her. i feel sorry for the mother the other child that seen it. i just cant stoping thinking about this the baby suffering , and the two year old didnt know what was going . on :( but your all in my prayers . this is a heartbreaking sad story ..
Posted by: Lyndsey on May 9, 2008 at 11:10 AM
i do not understand how you expect a 2 yr. old to watch a 10 month baby in the bath... even if it was just for about 2-3 minutes because that is all it takes. anyone in there right mind knows that... i feel that this mother is no mother at,she should of known better to leave both of her children unattended. She is lucky somthing didnt happend to her other child as well...And i also do not understand that if ther was other adults in the house, why couldnt one of them came up to watch the children while the mother ran down stairs for a "few" minutes??? I think this tragedy could have been easily prevented... My heart does go out to the mother, but like i said this could have been prevented... Hopefully the correct actions will take place in this particular tragedy.
Posted by: Kathy S on May 9, 2008 at 05:44 AM
I'm so sick of the SPELLING & GRAMMAR police on this board, "TRULY"!!! This thread is about a baby's death & the pain/grief/loss of a young mother for God's sake! It's NOT about yelling at others because they can't type or spell to suit all of you. So PLEASE stop the bickering & stop the petty nitpicking about spelling! Who CARES? Have a little compassion & empathy even if you don't agree with other posters. A precious baby is gone. A young mom is hurting & in the deepest pain ANY parent can be in so stop judging her & for heaven's sake, stop jumping on people for their spelling! People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones you know. Keep your own backyard clean before you yell at others especially when you don't even KNOW them. There still could be medical reasons this girl lost track of time. Whatever happened, she's paying THE worst price a parent can pay so back off with your hurtful comments & let her grieve.
Posted by: Sally S on May 8, 2008 at 11:55 PM
Accidents happen, and everyone makes mistakes they regret forever...It's all too sad that this baby's death had to be one of them. Don't blame, just pray for everyone involved.
Posted by: Anonymous on May 8, 2008 at 09:00 PM
Dear anonymous who is calling me a LIAR. That's a pretty harsh word to use. When I said I never leave my children unattended in the bath tub I meant it. Not to say I do not make mistakes in other areas but this is not one of them. I just wanted to let you know that so you will be a little more educated in others lives instead of assuming that everyone makes the same mistakes. Speaking of education your spelling TRULY needs some work. That's the TRUTH.
Posted by: a Mother on May 8, 2008 at 08:56 PM
IT is SO EASY TO JUDGE Others, we all do that.The first thought is how on earth could that happen.The man upstairs knows what happened,the mother knows, she has to now live with this.She would never intentionally do this, to think of what she will be going through.If the mother learns from this terrible painful experience and maybe other young mothers will learn to be more careful;then some good can come out of it.I know how can good come from something so bad.Have faith!There is a reason this happened,we do not know,only one man does.Just know my thoughts and prayers are with this mother and her 2 yrold and the other adults that were in the house;they must feel terrible too.Somewhere there is a leason for someone.Think about your life can you learn from this.I am sure there are things we could all change about our life to do or be something better. I hope she makes what changes she needs to and is the mother she needs to be for the 2yr old. Don't be afraid to ask for help if you nee2
Posted by: Anonymous on May 8, 2008 at 08:09 PM
this is a sad story. but yet at the same time we have to look at the situation, she left her baby in a bath tub of water. which we all know is very dangerous, and due to her leaving the baby and then loosing track of time the baby has died . i think she should be held accountable. to what degree i don't know but she should have to pay some consequence. sorry just how i feel.
Posted by: Mike on May 8, 2008 at 08:07 PM
To Jessica, if you are bathing your child and the phone rings, honestly, what is more important? Your baby's life could end in that split second that you are gone to answer that call. Their head can dip down in the water, even those baby tubs that fit over the sink. Why doesn't everyone have a little more common sense?
Posted by: TINA on May 8, 2008 at 08:02 PM
ok i think these young mothers need to grow up and be mothers you are a caretaker, a childs protector, they soley depend upon you they caint see the dangers or take care of there selfs so quit making excuses its just laziness, and these babies are paying the price. grow up!!!!!! age does not matter what matters is that you are a responsible to take care of your child no excuses.....
Posted by: Randy on May 8, 2008 at 07:54 PM
I am the uncle of the father of Nevaeh. Initially, I was shocked and as the story unfolded I became angry. Now, the anger has subsided and I most definitely forgive Nevaeh's mother. I've seen her with her children. She would not intentionally do anything to hurt them. She doesn't drink or smoke, but is somewhat uneducated. Nevaeh was one of the happiest babies I've ever seen. There was always a smile on her face. She will be missed. Her mother is in great pain. To see beautiful Nevaeh visit http://www.onetruemedia.com/otm_site/ view_shared?p=5bd899d41828939f2d0e3d&skin _id=801&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=email Thanks
Posted by: Anonymous on May 8, 2008 at 06:33 PM
This is sad! I feel for this young mother! I am a young mother myself and I do hate to admit yes I have had to step out of the room and grab something, I haven'e left my child in the tub but facts being a bathroom or any room anything can happen at any giving moment. Some may its commen since but really we're not perfect everyone makes mistakes not thinking of the consequences but almost every mother has left their child unattened for a min. anyone who say they didn't would be lieing. a child could crawl and put something in their mouth, pull something over on them, or anything things could happen in n e room so this young mother has done what ever other mother has done not expecting the outcome. she has to live with this everyday i believe this is punishment enough! I just want the family to know that my thought and prayers go out to them and may God be with you during this tragic time! God Bless!!!
Posted by: Anonymous on May 8, 2008 at 03:26 PM
Susan i strongly agree...
Posted by: Dawn on May 8, 2008 at 02:32 PM
I have 2 children...the youngest being only 9 months. While *I* would not leave a child that young alone in the tub, I can't write mean & nasty things about this young mother who did choose to. I became a mother young...just a few months shy of my 19th birthday...so, I will not say it was her age that made this crucial error in decision making....I only think some parents are more relaxed & don't think things through thoroughly. You can never be to cautious when it comes to your children! My prayers are with the entire family.
Posted by: Tired of the holier-than-thous here on May 8, 2008 at 02:07 PM
I'm SO tired of you self-righteous people accusing this girl of murder or being a bad mom. No, I don't know her so therefore I'm not going to judge her & you shouldn't either. She's lost her child for God's sake & accidents DO happen. It must be nice to NEVER have had so much on your mind or maybe even a med condition that caused you to do something REALLY horrible, really STUPID but hopefully nothing this horrible happened as a result. She's paying for this in the most horrible way a parent ever could & she will live with this all her life. Isn't that enough for you holier-than-thou people? It must be nice to be so perfect that you've never once even made a mistake even where your child is concerned - as someone said, not doublechecked a car seat strap or anything? I'm certainly not condoning her leaving the babies in the tub alone period BUT neither am I going to judge her, blame her & add to her pain. AND she could have MED problems that caused her to black out etc
Posted by: Valerie on May 8, 2008 at 01:58 PM
R.I.P Neveah. Alicia, Chad, & Iyeshia & the rest of the family are all remembered in prayer.
Posted by: Anon on May 8, 2008 at 01:39 PM
To WSAZ: Please remove my post from yesterday about Howard Dean & the election. I obviously was on the wrong page & this needs to be removed b/c I'm embarassed it's here - totally inappropriate of course for this lady's loss of her baby. Thank you. I apologize to you WSAZ for the trouble & to the other posters and family here for this stupid mistake. I meant to post it on the appropriate thread & somehow was on wrong page when I posted it. I'm embarrassed & so sorry. Hopefully 'SAZ will move it to the appropriate thread from yesterday
Posted by: Hello! on May 8, 2008 at 12:45 PM
This is a very unfortunate event and paryers go out to the family. But I'm sorry but Wayne Hills is notorious to be overunned with drugs, and it is sad to say this, but this is probably an accident, but does this?
Posted by: cee on May 8, 2008 at 12:30 PM
I want to live in the world of all you perfect people out there!must be nice for everything to run smoothly, never loose your train of thought or make a mistake! must be so nice.
Posted by: Jessica on May 8, 2008 at 12:02 PM
Okay, so i'm not really sure how I feel about this tragic loss but I dont think people should be defending her with her age. I am 19 with one child and its just common seince NOT to leave the alone for any amount of time. I have ran to get a towel b4 or grab the phone but never for longer then a few seconds. I mean would you leave your child on the back porch with acess to a swimming pool. come on people. common seince!! I do pray for this family and this child!! GOD BLESS!!
Posted by: sue on May 8, 2008 at 11:43 AM
something like this is so sad.
Posted by: donna on May 8, 2008 at 11:35 AM
WHY DON'T PEOPLE LEAVE THIS POOR MOM ALONE SHE HAS TO DEAL WITH THIS EVERYDAY THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MT MIND IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT JUDGE YOURSELVES AND INSTEAD OF HER LEAVE HER ALONEGOD BLESS THIS FAMILY BE WITH THEM AS THESE DAYS GO ON
Posted by: Anonymous on May 8, 2008 at 09:20 AM
Nobody is perfect, anyone that says they have never left there child unattended for a minute is a LIAR, because there is only one person I know to be perfect and he is not down here, he will judge her in his time. Also our system is sad because they only take cases that really are truelly bad accidents. We will never truelly know the trueth of what happen. I pray for this family and hope she someday will find peace.
Posted by: Lisa on May 8, 2008 at 08:36 AM
I feel so sorry for this family and young mother. This accident could happen to anyone. Hindsight is 20/20. She must be experiencing a huge amount of guilt. Bless her heart.
Posted by: a on May 8, 2008 at 08:21 AM
Ok, I understand maybe leaving your child in there for a minute to grab something..but how can you loose track of time?!?!?!?
Posted by: Anonymous on May 8, 2008 at 08:16 AM
so sad ......rip!!!!
Posted by: IT COULD HAPPEN on May 8, 2008 at 07:51 AM
STEP BACK!!! OH! SOME OF YOU THINK YOU ARE SO PERFECT! HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF THIS WAS YOU THIS HAPPENED TO? WOULD YOU STILL BE SO QUICK TO JUDGE?! AND DON'T GIVE NO CRAP ABOUT "OH THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN TO ME" BECAUSE MISTAKES AND ACCIDENTS HAPPEN! PEOPLE WHO JUDGE OTHERS...WATCH OUT!!! SOMETHING SIMILAR CAN HAPPEN TO YOU!!! JUST REMEMBER THAT!! MANY PRAYERS TO THIS FAMILY!
Posted by: people please on May 7, 2008 at 11:39 PM
To all of you perfect people out there who have never made a mistake, here in the real world people really do make mistakes. This young Mother has made her own hell to live in without making it worse by putting her in jail. I know that when my children were little I would sometimes leave the bathroom to get something that I needed to bathe them with. I guess I was just lucky that nothing like this never happened to me. I guess the courts need to charge another poor person more fines and court costs and then get the funds that they get for each person who is sentenced to a prison term. There needs to be an investigation to make sure that there was no foul play and if there wasn't then leave her alone and let her grieve the death of her infant daughter. The holier than thou people on here need to keep there ugly comments to themselves until they know ALL the facts.
Posted by: Susan on May 7, 2008 at 09:51 PM
Okay, this story makes me angrier by the day. I have a 10 month old son and a 11 year old son. NEVER in a million years would I EVER leave my baby in the bath tub with water running. In an infant bath seat or not. I don't care if the phone is rining off the hook or if someone is pounding on the door. This girl should have the book thrown at her for not using common sense, I mean come one people. There are drowings all the time and these "stupid" mistakes need to be stopped. I have no sympathy for her. Her two year old daughter should be taken from her as well. She is obviously an unfit mother.
Posted by: rob on May 7, 2008 at 09:50 PM
WOW. I have done this exact thing myself, I guess I was lucky. My heart goes out to the family, it was an accident that shouldn't have happened. And let the person who have no sins cast the first stone. Noone here knows what it is like to walk a mile in the mothers shoes. Only a mile in their own shoes. GOOD LUCK to the mom and I hope you will someday get some closure.
Posted by: Molly on May 7, 2008 at 09:35 PM
How tragic to lose a baby. My heart and prayers go out to this young mother and her family. My husband and I have a 10 month old son and I cannot imagine the pain she must be feeling. This is a terrible loss but a reminder to all parents of young children that in a moment our lives can change forever. No parent is perfect. All of us at one time or another have turned our backs for "just a moment"; walked out of the room for a second, and returned to find our little one about to do something unexpected. May God give you peace in your heart. I will keep you and your family in my prayers.
Posted by: tina on May 7, 2008 at 09:21 PM
my heart goes out to this mother and her children i have 4 wonderful boys and i couldnt imagine loosing one of them...god bless you all,, judge not..im so sorry for your loss..
Posted by: hmm... on May 7, 2008 at 09:12 PM
i don't understand how one can "lose track of time" ESPECIALLY with an infant and a toddler in the bathtub. im a full time nanny to my 10 month old niece and i don't even like to go to the bathroom and leave her in her pack and play. it makes me a nervous wreck. i even watch her take naps. i feel sorry for the mother, and the whole family and my prayers go out to them.
Posted by: John on May 7, 2008 at 08:47 PM
The mother did make a mistake and she should pay for it. You dont leave a little baby alone in the bathtube. It is called COMMON SENSE, so if someone thinks her leaving the baby is ok then I got a problem with them and I want to know why it is ok.
Posted by: Anonymous on May 7, 2008 at 08:31 PM
She's paying the price and will everyday of her life. I can not imagine the grief she bares. She made a mistake. I'm sure if she could go back and change it she would. All we can do is hope she will cherish and protect her remaining child. I agree with the parenting classes. She needs to be informed on how to care for her remaining child. I do not doubt that she loved her baby. Just because you love your children does not mean you know how to care for them. For those of you who defended this act by saying "havent you ever turned around to answer the phone or get a towel?" My answer is no. I have four kids and if I have to turn around to do something I pull them out of the bath to do so. Let her mistake be your warning. It only takes a second.
Posted by: anon on May 7, 2008 at 07:58 PM
This is so sad...I have two children....when you have a 10 month old...the poor little ones cannot even hold themselves up well yet. Of course, while we do not know exactly...I would say this is negligence on the mother's part. However, she will spend the rest of her life suffering, so we should all pray for her and for the soul of this baby. We should also pray for the 2 year old who was present while the sibling died....SO SAD!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Lauren on May 7, 2008 at 06:05 PM
Everyone on here talking about "putting her in jail","they should have arrested her on the spot". I think that any type/kind of jail time or prison sentence could NOT be worse than losing your child. I used to get angry when I would read some of the comments on here and see how Naïve and judgemental some people can be, but anymore it just makes me SAD. Sometimes when people make heartless comments I am embarresed to be a human. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. I John 4:20 God Is Grieving With This Family As Should We ALL Be!!!!!
Posted by: Thank before talking on May 7, 2008 at 03:36 PM
Be CAREFUL of the STONES you throw. It could come back to HAUNT you. GOD BLESS this family
Posted by: Kayla Woodrow on May 7, 2008 at 02:18 PM
Alicia is my cuzin and she was a good mom so for all you people who dont know what really happend you dont need to judge her she is upset enough and she never ment for this to happen. "it was an accident" you cant tell me you people havent ever turnded your back for one second to grab a towl or answer the phone. And another thing her other baby needs to be with her mom she doesnt know anyone els she has always been with her mother. Alicia loves her kids and this is more than she can handle. Only god can judge her and he wanted nevaeh shes an angle with god now. I thank those of you who pray for alicia/chad and our family. It means alot...
Posted by: Anonymous on May 7, 2008 at 01:16 PM
Everyone makes mistakes, but most people don't have a child die because of it. My prayers to the children.
Posted by: stephanie on May 7, 2008 at 12:25 PM
thats sad.how are you gonna lose track of time it doesnt take that much time to run down stairs and bac..she has no excuss.she's not a good mother if she's gonna do that..im sorry about what happend and my prayers go out to the family.
Posted by: Dee on May 7, 2008 at 12:14 PM
My heart goes out for the family,I have a 2 year old and i would never leave her in the bathtub unattended let alone a 10 month.I hope she gets the help she needs in parenting her 2 year old and the loss of her baby.
Posted by: Elisabeth on May 7, 2008 at 11:58 AM
The mother shouldnt have put the little girl in the bath tub any way unitended
Posted by: proud mommy of a beautiful two year old. on May 7, 2008 at 11:36 AM
i think the mother is all to blame. she needs to be charged very heavily. there is no excuse as in "losing track of time." that just goes to show that she wasnt thinking of her children at all. her two year old doesnt need to be in her presence. who knows what her next excuse will be when this child is harmed. if she didnt mean to hurt her child then she knew to have called on one of the other two adults to watch the children until she got back with them and to also turn off the water because all it takes is an inch of water. so this just goes to show people that the slightest move of neglect can cause a major amount of harm or death. i hope when this case is brought before the grand jury that they dont feel sympathy for her in the least. i will be praying for the little two year old but not for the mother. i feel so awful that the little girl had to witness her sister drowning. think about it people how terrible that must have been for her to see something like that at such a young ag
Posted by: Anon on May 7, 2008 at 11:12 AM
To "oh please": I SO agree with you! I'd vote for Howard Dean. He told the truth last time & NOBODY wanted to hear it so look what we got! I'd vote for Lou Dobbs if he'd run! He is right in the center where I am & where I think a LOT of Americans are. Not radical on either end, but again, nobody in these parties wants to hear us. I think it would be awesome if Nader would get all the disgruntled AMERICAN votes (how many Illegals ARE they going to let vote I wonder?)& win. Hey he couldn't do any worse! We don't even get to hear what he or ANY other party who may wish to run stands for or how they stand on any issue which is really undemocratic IMHO Clinton made fun of him when they even suggested he get a few moments of TV time to EXPLAIN what he stands for. He has as much right as she & the others. So does ANY third party candidate but the media hoes won't allow THAT! I may vote for him. I'd vote for Micky Mouse b/4 this bunch, he couldn't do any worse either
Posted by: Elizabeth on May 7, 2008 at 11:12 AM
If this child had just been hurt it would be bad enough that so many people on here are defending her but the fact that the baby died makes it unexcusable that people are defending her. She doesn't get a do over! This child is gone FOREVER! How can anyone defend her? A 19 year old with TWO kids should know better. I don't care if she's 19. Old enough to make not ONE but TWO babies, then she should be OLD enough to take care of them. You don't need your mother to pound it into your head that you don't leave a baby in the tub alone. She left TWO babies alone. It's even worse that she left the 10 month old in there alone with a 2 year old because the other child could have caused the baby to fall over in the tub on accident. My 6 year old is still given a bath. He washed himself but either his father or myself is in there with him while he's bathing.
Posted by: Kathy S on May 7, 2008 at 11:05 AM
This is a terrible story. My deepest sympathy to the young mother and her family. I'm not going to judge her either. As others said, she has to live with this the rest of her life & she's lost her precious baby so that's enough for her to bear. Maybe she blacked out for a little while - we don't know all the details I'm sure. She may not even remember. Sometimes stress or medical conditions can cause you to do that as we know & they said she lost track of time. Or as others said, that's easy to do especially when dealing with two babies & being young yourself. I'm not making excuses for her & I'm certainly not judging her. I just feel so sorry for her and for her other little one who was there when the baby drowned. My heart aches for them so much & I want her to know she has strangers like me out here praying for her & sending her loving wishes. I know our words, prayers & wishes may sound empty because nothing will ease her pain, but just want her to know we care
Posted by: rene on May 7, 2008 at 10:19 AM
Isn't it mandatory that police contact Family Service when they suspect child abuse or neglect. This isn't about passing judgement on the mother,it is about protecting the other child. At the very least this mother may need parenting skills classes. She is 19 and already has two children. At some point she should be figuring out that raising children is not easy. At the very least family service needs to be seeing if there is extended family that can watch the other child until is can be determined what is going on. Yes, all parents do make mistakes....but in this case authorities are now aware of it. If we (as a state) don't protect the other child and something happens then everyone will be up in arms. See www.whosebestinterest.com we need to be doing a better job for our children. This should be about the child not the parent.
Posted by: Anonymous on May 7, 2008 at 09:48 AM
I agree with lkl. I've left the bathroom for a minute to get shampoo. Everyone has done something similar so don't act like you haven't. I'm so sorry for this mother.
Posted by: phyllis on May 7, 2008 at 09:30 AM
people should be ashamed ,it's going to be hard enough to live with her self the rest of her life every time she looks at her other child she"s gonna think of baby nevaeh,my daughter use to go to school with the baby"s aunt and yes it"s enough she"s gonna live with the thought of"what if "or i should of" there"s alot of things that probably going through her mind now so please pray for her to be able to keep this other child maybe it will help her through her sorry right now maybe through this greiving process things in this other child she might see may help her please be considerit and think about if you were in her shoes I'm 41 and i'm a mother of 3 kids 22,19,15 and i'm still learning and i have 2 grand kids ,you'll still learn if you have kids til its time for you to pass from this cruel world ,like they say those with out sin through the first stone in this circumstances is those with out a mistake in there life pass judgement on there own self . LOVE AND PRAYS BE WITH THEM.
Posted by: Melinda on May 7, 2008 at 09:24 AM
I TOTALLY AGREE WITH LKL YOU DON'T LEAVE ANY CHILD UNATTENDED, WHY DIDN'T SHE GET THE SHAMPOO FIRST DUH? I HAVE NO SYMPATHY YOU LOST TRACK OF TIME? WHAT WERE YOU UNER THE INFLUENCE OF YOU ARE IN A COMPLEXE MY TAX DOLLARS PAY FOR YOUR 19 WITH A KID, WHERE IS THE FATHER? HOW CAN YOU LOSE TRACK OF TIME AND LEAVE YOUR KIDS UNATTENDED? I DON'T EVEN LEAVE MY PETS UNATTENDED. ONLY GOD KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED AND GOD KNOWS WEHTER SHE MEANT TO OR REALLY FORGOT AND I JUST DON'T KNOW, BUT I COULD NOT FIGURE OUT THE MOTHER ON HERE. WHY WEREN'T THE OTHER ADULTS HELPING HER?
Posted by: lkl on May 7, 2008 at 08:36 AM
Most people know not to leave children unattended in any circumstances--car, tub...however, even super parents out there know they have made some silly, thoughtless mistakes while exhausted after a day of taking care of the kids. How many of us have walked out of the bathroom to answer the phone? Grab a towel? Or even forgotten to fasten the car seat? How many of us have left our toddlers alone in their room without their dressers latched to the wall in order to change a load of laundry. How easily they could climb it and pull it over on themselves. All of us know it only takes seconds for a child to fatally injure him or herself. Only by the grace of God are there fewer accidents like this.
Posted by: Jackie on May 7, 2008 at 08:13 AM
God Bless the mother and her 2 year old. I feel bad she lost her baby. I do not think we should judge her. She is already do that enough to herself. I would ask other to leave her be. I do not know her personally but I believe she is sorry and did not mean for this to happen. We do not know the whole story. Just pray for her and her family that is what we need to do. To the mother and her family God bless you and your family
Posted by: just me N ww on May 7, 2008 at 07:37 AM
Let us all say a prayer for this Mother and other child, it is not up to any of us to JUDGE her, let us not all be so negative and just say a little prayer, who knows it may make you have a better day!life is full of mistakes some we can correct some we can not!
Posted by: CEE on May 7, 2008 at 07:36 AM
It is so nice to know that we live in a world that accuses first , thn asks questions! In a world where no one makes a mistake or gets distracted. yes this was a costly mistake, but could it not be just that? anyone that says they havent made one are not telling th truth. I have 4 children, 8,5 2 and 6 mths.yes, I keep a vigilant eye on them and would have never left a baby that young sitting there. I would have carried her with me,,, but how many of you have said, Ill be back in a m inute or it will be ok for just a sec.you never figure it will happen to you and hopefully it doesnt! But wait to see the story before you judge. This may well be an accident she never meant to happen,if so and if it WERE YOU, dont you think you would deeply regret and hate yourself for it, wouldnt life be hard to live?I would NEVER forgive myself ever and being behind bars couldnt punish me more than I would punish myself. I will give her the benefit of the doubt until the story comes out and so should u.
Posted by: k on May 7, 2008 at 07:30 AM
This is not hindsight 20/20, it is downright neglect. I know the mom is just 19 and i'm sure she is hurt but children need to be protected.
Posted by: Hailey on May 7, 2008 at 07:22 AM
I think people need to step back and stop judging. She was a young mother. Yes the child is gone, don't you think she is in enough pain. I think it is stupid people talking about her like they are. I know a girl who her children was with the babysitter and the babysitter went into the house and left them out back on the deck, the baby fell in the pool, was deprived of oxygen for 45 minutes, and somehow lived. When asked why she done it, all she said was "hm maybe I should have took him to the bathroom with me." YOU THINK! This woman went unpunished! So why shouldn't this mother. Yes, this child lived but he has no movement from his neck down and cannot see, only hear....barely. So why shouldn't this babysitter have been punished. Well I'll tell you what the judge told this child's mother "it was an accident" So people...STOP JUDGING!!
Posted by: wanda in charleston on May 7, 2008 at 03:31 AM
what about the other child seeing what happened, they may never get over it
Posted by: concerned Mom! on May 7, 2008 at 02:48 AM
I know everyone seems to be up on blaming the mother, but I had the other child in my heart and prayers from the beginning of this tragedy! She was in the tub with this child, God only knows what she is going through. I will be keeping all the family in my prayers. My heart goes out to the mother as well. It seems everyone has become perfect parents now days, I myself know how hard it is to get help with my children, so dont be so quick to judge till u lived a day in her shoes. Think, maybe she didnt have alot of help! God bless all involved...
Posted by: Putnam co on May 7, 2008 at 02:45 AM
May god be with everyone invovled.and its not up to people like us to judge someone that we dont even know.it is just times like this that we need to be there for them and not judgeing them.a lot of people jump to judge other people when thay are not sure what even happened.and yes this has got to be hurting this young lady very bad it is sad to have lost the baby but we all know that she is in the very best hands she could ever be in now.
Posted by: concerned on May 7, 2008 at 12:23 AM
How Stupid . For the Police and State officials to just assume that the other Children are safe. Hey wake up We have way to may Children Losing their precious lifes, Due to Pitiful losers like this
Posted by: sharon on May 6, 2008 at 11:54 PM
hey people i know this young girl and she has always takin good care of both kids i have a lil two year old daughter also if it wasnt for my mom telling me and pouding it in my head how to take care of mine your not born a natural listen to you guys i mean some one has to teach you befor you learn and she never probly had anyone to teach her this the kids are always clean and just because you leave in wayne hills doesnt mean your a drug head i read some of the comments people said about that how do they know so much about it maybe they are on drugs me and her sister was good friends in school and they are a good family so please pray fro them not put them down thats just shows your none since and heart less for something that could very easly happen to you keep in mind maybe not like that but something other and you wouldnt want to be put in her shoes people saying you killed your own kid people say thing befor they think keep in mind people are just human they make mustackes
Posted by: A mother of one on May 6, 2008 at 11:51 PM
Nobody has the right to judge anyone. Only god so everyone saying the mother needs to go to jail thats not for you to judge. This mother will suffer enough by loosing her baby. It was a accident and she will have to live with it the rest of her life. Stop judgeing people we are not perfect have a heart and pray not judge.
Posted by: Misty on May 6, 2008 at 11:38 PM
Such a sad tragedy. Will pray for their family!
Posted by: Concerned on May 6, 2008 at 10:40 PM
I am concerned that people next door would say that it was ok for her to leave the children because their were two other adults in the house!!! She should have been a responsible parent and asked one of them for the shampoo. One of the biggest jobs of being a mother is being RESPONSIBLE in ALL situations. Either way, the baby is gone. I just hope that she can become a responsible parent for her two year old.
Posted by: Michelle Allen on May 6, 2008 at 10:30 PM
I know the babies mom. I have been best friends with her forever now. I also have a two year old & her babies & mine were close. I have been close with this girl & her family for such a long time. I know she loves her babies with all of her heart. My heart pours out to her. I have been talking with her & she just isn't doing good. For everyone to know.. Alicia would never do anything like this on purpose. She is a great mother. Things like this can happen. She didn't mean for this to happen. Please continue to pray for Alicia/Chad & their family. RIP Nevaeh Michelle.
Posted by: Anonymous on May 6, 2008 at 10:24 PM
Everytime someone dies whether its an accident or not someone sounds off that it is drug related. So lets not play favorites here low income housing receives welfare and hey its the first of the month so there is plenty of money for some crack. Yep I think it's drug related now we just need to figure out who was smoking was it the baby or the mama? Do an autopsy and let me know.
Posted by: someone on May 6, 2008 at 09:58 PM
I have a 12 year old daugter and I still check on her every few minutes when shes in the bathtub............ My prayers are with this family
Posted by: amber on May 6, 2008 at 09:46 PM
This is very very sad!!:{
Posted by: Karen on May 6, 2008 at 08:55 PM
Was it a stupid and very tragic accident....yes it was. Should this mother be burned at the stake...no. Parenting class and therapy..yes. I know that not all 19 yr old mothers would leave their child but she probably didn't think that this would happen. I never left a child that young in the bath by themselves but I won't sit here and say that if I hadn't had it drilled into my head by my own mother then who knows, I may have. This Mom just lost her baby. I can't imagine the torment that she is going through. Everyone needs to help her through this and do alot of praying for her and the 2 yr old sister. We don't need to critisize her..I'm sure she realizes what she has done and that it was wrong.
Posted by: STEPHANE on May 6, 2008 at 08:17 PM
YOU DON'T NEVER LEAVE CHILDREN UNATTENDED FOR NO REASON AT ALL ESPECIALLY AT THAT AGE. I WOULD HATE TO BE IN HER SHOES AT THIS TIME. SEND HER TO PARENTING CLASSES BECAUSE SHE SURE NEEDS IT.
Posted by: mother of 4 on May 6, 2008 at 08:01 PM
GOD BLESS THESE CHILDREN AND THIER YOUNG MOTHER,ONLY THE LORD CAN JUDGE THIS MOTHER,FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO THINK SHE SHOULD BE ARRESTED ,SPEND ONE DAY IN JAIL....YOU MAY JUST CHANGE YOUR MIND!
Posted by: Allie on May 6, 2008 at 07:40 PM
This is a horrible thing...however she should have had her 2 year old taken from her and arrested on the spot. THis is just awful
Posted by: Beth Ann on May 6, 2008 at 07:29 PM
What gets me is she said she lost track of time. I am sorry for the little girl drowning and my prayers go out to the family. I just dont understand how someone could leave them alone and lose track of time. I have a 5 year old and I still dont leave him alone in the tub.
Posted by: anon on May 6, 2008 at 06:50 PM
kids having kids!!! what do we expect. god bless everyone involved.
Posted by: KT on May 6, 2008 at 06:36 PM
How could anyone be such a imbecile? I sorry if I sound too harsh on the girl but, comeon who leaves two very young children alone? I think they should have taken her away for being so irresponsible and surely not left the two year old with her!!
Posted by: Ashley on May 6, 2008 at 06:22 PM
Wow! I have a 3 year old and a 1 1/2 year old. I was 17 when i had my son. I knew better even then not to leave him in the bathtub. I'm not saying she did it on purpose but come on now if your legal at 18 then u should be smart enough to know better. There needs to be a law to make parents young or old take a parenting class..Just sad!
Posted by: T.S. on May 6, 2008 at 05:15 PM
It is NOT about parental sense...it is about COMMON sense! When I was 13 I babysat for a one year old and even at that age I knew better than to leave her alone in the bathtub. I agree that she needs parenting classes, but for goodness sakes she should be held accountable for her bad decisions!
Posted by: WOW on May 6, 2008 at 04:34 PM
I can't believe this story. This is what ignorance does. I don't care if she is only 19...she should know better. I know that she will be devastated for a long time to come, but someone needs to take the 2 year old out of the home and teach her some parenting skills.
Posted by: Mother on May 6, 2008 at 03:59 PM
This poor Mother will live with this mistake the rest of her life that is punishment enough. If she has no other record of abuse, violence, neglect, etc. We must all pray for her and the 2yr old.
Posted by: Amother on May 6, 2008 at 03:12 PM
Who in there right mind leaves not 1 but 2 babies unattended in the bathtub? CPS do your job and get the other child out of there! I don't think she did this on purpose but if she didn't know any better then she dosen't need children yet!
Posted by: mother of 2 on May 6, 2008 at 03:10 PM
that just goes to show you you can not leave your small children unattended not even for a second.....my heart goes out to you, I have a 3yr old and a 8 year old, i cant even begin to imagine walking in and finding one of them like this mother did. i am so sorry.
Posted by: alex lee on May 6, 2008 at 01:54 PM
Some people should just not have kids if they are going to put them dangerous situations. You simply dont walk off and leave children in a bathtub WITH WATER IN IT!!!!
Posted by: LadyA on May 6, 2008 at 01:41 PM
Sometimes I wonder when things like this happen is it really the mothers fault or is it just God ready for the child to come to heaven.
Posted by: Megan on May 6, 2008 at 01:37 PM
I can't even imagine the sorrow... my prayers are with the entire family.
Posted by: Proud Mom of 2 on May 6, 2008 at 01:20 PM
I Truely have my Thoughts with this family, but i do must Say that there is NO EXCUSE for leaving a 2 year old let alone a 10 month old baby in the bath tub by theirself. I have a 2 yr old & a 16 month old & I would NEVER leave the bathroom & leave them in there by theirself its truly sad that this happend...May God Be With You!
Posted by: Anonymous on May 6, 2008 at 12:36 PM
They should have arrested her on the spot! Anyone knows you don't put a child in the bath tub and leave for any amount of time.
Posted by: Anonymous on May 6, 2008 at 12:31 PM
Why do you leave a 10 month old alone in the tub? Sad, very sad for the two year old that seen it.
Posted by: Stephanie on May 6, 2008 at 12:11 PM
Who leaves a 2 year old and a 10 month old in the bath by themselves. It only takes seconds.
Posted by: Becky on May 6, 2008 at 11:51 AM
I was a young mother like her and I could not imagine being alone without my parents to help when my son was a baby. she probably went to put a load of laundry in or answer the phone and didn't have enough parental sense to know that a child should not be left alone in the tub (or anywhere). I'm sure she is in complete mental turmoil right now over this.
Posted by: ashlee on May 6, 2008 at 11:45 AM
why would you leave the water on and go downstairs? the baby would be more important than going downstairs. Really people think about it.
Posted by: Jenni on May 6, 2008 at 11:41 AM
It may have been an accident but you NEVER leave your kids (especially that young) in the bath tub unattended. I think she needs to attend parenting classes to be able to properly parent the 2 year old. Unless there is other evidence that has not be disclosed than I dont think criminal charges should be brought against her but she does need to be taught better parenting skills.
Posted by: anonymous on May 6, 2008 at 11:19 AM
There should have been no "lost track of time" or "went downstairs". When you have a 2 yr old and a 10 month old in the bathtub, you should be in the bathroom the entire time. My child is almost 5 years old, and I still leave the door open and keep a full view of him int the tub. I am terribly sorry for the loss, as it doesnt appear intentional. The parent/s will suffer forever due to this tragedy. But all who read this, please dont leave your children unattended. This means in the car while you run into the store, in the bathtub, outside playing, or anywhere else. Aside from the naturally terrible, there are evil people just looking for the opportunity to hurt them.
Posted by: Anonymous on May 6, 2008 at 11:15 AM
Lost track of time? Are you kidding me? You do not lose track of time when your child is in the bathtub. And who leaves a 10 month old in the hands of a 2 yr old in a bathtub full of water while you run downstairs? What was she doing downstairs? There is nothing that she could have been doing downstairs that would make her forget her children was in the bathtub. She needs to be charged with negligence among other charges, and she needs to have her other child taken away from her. People need to grow up and take care of their kids and stop harming them or putting them in harms way. There is so many people in this world that cant have a baby and would be perfect parents. And then there is people like this that cant keep their legs closed long enough to get an education and then have a baby and want to keep it but end up killing it ,abusing it, or putting it in a position that it has no business in (ex. meth labs, crack houses) People should be ashamed.
FIND A LOCAL BUSINESS
WSAZ Poll Question
There are currently no active polls at this time.
Click here to view other polls on our site and past poll results.
SEND US YOUR PICTURES AND VIDEOS INCLUDING BREAKING NEWS AND SEVERE WEATHER
 
Home - News - Weather - Sports - Classifieds - Closings - Featured Links - Blogs - Olympics - myZtv -
Moms4Moms - Contests -