Tallahassee, FL – A 2-year-old boy’s drowning in a bathtub has been ruled a homicide, and a 24-year-old woman has been arrested for murder following a months-long investigation, police said Wednesday.
Raymona Ford was taken into custody by Tallahassee police after detectives concluded the boy was physically abused before being left unattended in the tub.
The child died four days after being found unresponsive in the bath at the Magnolia Terrace Apartments in May.
According to the Tallahassee Police Department, officers were called to the apartment complex on May 9 in response to a reported drowning. Emergency responders attempted life-saving measures on the scene before transporting the toddler to a nearby hospital, where he remained in critical condition until his death on May 13.
The investigation included input from the Medical Examiner’s Office, which concluded that the child had suffered repeated blows leading to seizures. Police say the injuries occurred shortly before the child was left alone in the bathtub, ultimately leading to his death by drowning.
According to detectives, Ford allegedly struck the child several times before leaving him in the tub. A criminal complaint also noted that Ford had asked the child’s father to care for the boy so she could celebrate her birthday, but the father declined. Investigators believe this detail supports claims made by the child’s grandmother, who told police that the boy was injured because Ford was upset with his father.
After consulting with the State Attorney’s Office, police arrested Ford on Wednesday and charged her with murder.
The case remains under active investigation.