Tulsa World: Tulsa woman charged, arrested in baby's death

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Tulsa woman charged, arrested in baby's death

Krysta Dawson

By MATT BARNARD and NICOLE MARSHALL World Staff Writers
Published: 11/20/2009 8:31 AM
Last Modified: 11/20/2009 6:12 PM

Police arrested a woman Friday evening on a second-degree manslaughter charge in the drowning death of her infant son.

Krysta Dawson, 18, is charged in the death of her son James Dawson, 9 months, records show. She is accused of leaving him unattended in a bathtub last week, and his death has been classified a homicide.

She was also charged with child neglect on an allegation that she also left her 19-month-old son in the bathtub, Tulsa Police Cpl. Greg Smith said.

James was found unresponsive in the family’s bathtub at the Yacht Club Apartments on Nov. 11. Medics worked to revive the baby before taking him to St. Francis Hospital, where he died the next day.

The state Medical Examiner’s Office determined that he had multiple organ failure from lack of oxygen, but the manner of death remains pending, authorities said.

Dawson reportedly had placed James and her 19-month-old son, Davin, in the bathtub and then turned on the water. She then left the room, and when she returned, James was unresponsive.

Dawson, who was the only adult in the residence at the time, ran to get help. The baby’s father also lives at the apartment, but he was not there at the time.

After first investigating the case as an accident, detectives from the Tulsa Police Department’s Child Crisis Unit determined that James’ death was a homicide, Officer Jason Willingham said.

Based on the evidence of lack of supervision, detectives believe that culpable negligence was involved. Culpable negligence is an omission to do something that a reasonably careful person would do or a failure to use ordinary care and caution.

In such circumstances, a death can be ruled a homicide.

“A 9-month-old should never be left in that type situation. I think that is just common sense that anyone should know,” Smith said.

After the charge was filed Friday evening, patrol officers arrested her, Smith said.

By MATT BARNARD and NICOLE MARSHALL World Staff Writers

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Reader comments for this story have been moved to the most updated version of the story, now under the headline "Woman charged in son's drowning," which was published on 11/21/2009. So far, 116 comments have been made.