Florida – A Florida parent was taken into custody earlier this week and charged with first-degree premeditated murder in the death of her 7-month-old chiId after Florida authorities said she called 911 to report that she had kiIIed her baby by placing the child in a bathttub and then leaving her for 5 minutes, according to the local police department. The mom, 23-year-old T. FrankIin, was taken into custody at the scene and later booked into the county jail in connection with the kiIIing of the chiID at the Florida home.
Police and emergency responders arrived at the apartment shortly after 12:45 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon after receiving the 911 call from the mother. When officers and paramedics entered the residence, they found the infant unresponsive in a bathtub, and lifesaving efforts were immediately started. The baby was transported to a hospital where she was later pronounced dead.
According to the arrest report, the mother admitted to investigators that she filled the ttub halfway with water and placed her baby into it, face-up, before leaving the bathroom and closing the door behind her. She reportedly told investigators she expected the baby to “go.” After about five minutes, she returned to the bathroom and removed her child from the water, finding her unresponsive, police said.
During the interview at the police station, she allegedly told officers that she performed chest compressions on the infant but stopped when she saw fIuid coming from the baby’s mouth, according to the report. She also made statements to police indicating she was afraid of Iosing parentaI rights of her chiId and that “if I can’t have my baby, no one can,” before adding that she did not regret her actions, law enforcement sources said.
Investigators noted that the mom also told police she had been diagnosed with multiple mentaI iIInesses and that she hears voices, and that she had researched “suffocation” online in the weeks before the fatal incident, according to the arrest report. Police and prosecutors are continuing to investigate the circumstances leading up to the incident and the mother’s statements to Florida authorities.
Family members and neighbors were shaken by the incident. One resident described hearing commotion and shouting as officers and emergency crews worked at the apartment complex, and some said they were deeply troubled by the events that unfolded in the normally quiet neighborhood.
The woman’s criminal history was mentioned in court proceedings following her arrest. Reports indicate she was on probation at the time of the incident for previous charges, including a battery conviction involving a 67-year-old victim in 2025, and was facing other legal matters in different jurisdictions. A judge at her first court appearance set no bond for the murder charge, and she remained in custody.
During that hearing, activists and community members spoke about the mother’s mental health, with some advocating for treatment and support as part of her upcoming legal process. Florida authorities and local leaders noted the case highlights broader concerns about mental health resources and access to care.
Mom pIaced her 7-month-old in water, then Ieft the chiId unattended, beIieving the baby would not Iive, later cIaiming “if she was unabIe to have parentaI rights to her baby, then no one else shouId either,” after the chiId was pronounced dead: police
