GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A 23-year-old Gainesville mother who is accused of killing her 7-month-old daughter said she was afraid of losing custody of the baby, according to the Gainesville Police Department arrest report.
Police said they responded to the scene at the Sweetwater Square Apartments on NE 15th Street after investigators said the mother called police to admit that she had drowned her child in the bathtub.
Recommended Videos
Investigators said a domestic incident inside the apartment happened around the time of the murder. The arrest report states that the woman placed the baby underwater, left the bathroom and closed the door.
Police said she came back five minutes later, picked up the baby and saw a white substance coming from her nose and mouth. The mother attempted chest compressions but stopped after seeing liquid coming from the baby’s mouth.
According to the report, the woman told police, “If I can’t have my baby, no one can,” and “I’m sorry, but I don’t regret it.”
She also said that she is facing other legal penalties and was in fear of losing custody of the baby. The police report states that she had been researching “suffocation” two weeks prior.
The mother said she had been diagnosed with multiple mental illnesses and hears voices.
The investigation is ongoing.