Mother and family members arrested in death of baby | Highlands News-Sun

Wyche is facing charges of child neglect without serious bodily harm. She has since been released.

According to Highlands County arrest reports, officers and emergency responders were dispatched to a residence on Lake Avenue in Avon Park at 6:30 a.m. on May 4 for a report of an unresponsive baby. The baby was taken to AdventHealth Sebring, where he died despite life-saving efforts.

As the coroner later determined, the baby had died during an accidental stop while Sabrina was allegedly sleeping with the baby and another child in her bed.

Watson lost custody of the toddler, a 4-year-old and a 2-year-old due to drug use and a history of “inadequate supervision,” according to the HCSO. Wyche had legal guardianship of the baby and already had permanent custody of the 2-year-old, while the 4-year-old was placed with Watson’s parents. According to the court order, none of the children were allowed to “live with Watson” and she only allowed supervised visits, the HCSO posted on social media.

Investigators conducted interviews at the hospital and asked them to return to the home so crime scene investigators could examine evidence, but they were at another residence. Shortly before 1 p.m., Watson arrived at her residence and was advised of her rights and arrested on an outstanding Osceola County warrant.

During the investigation, detectives asked Watson what happened. She said she did not wake up after falling asleep. According to the heavily redacted arrest report, there was a blood stain one to three inches behind her buttocks.

During the investigation, it was discovered that Wyche had left the children, including the baby, with Watson so that she could go ice skating with her own children. It was also discovered that Watson left the house alone “during the night hours” and went to another residence for an unspecified reason.

In an interview on May 6, a witness whose name was redacted said he went to the nearby residence sometime after leaving it at 1:30 a.m. According to the police report, the witness also said Watson and another woman smoked marijuana the night before, but was unsure if the stuff was laced with cocaine.

Watson’s problems worsened when detectives searched the house. It was in a deplorable state and posed many dangers to the children and residents. Among other things, they found that the house had no running water for bathing, washing hands, or flushing the toilet; windows were covered with wood and cardboard; electrical outlets without plates; excrement in the toilet; a shower that had not been used “for some time.”

Drugs consistent with methamphetamine were found in various locations throughout the home, often within reach of children. Drug paraphernalia such as scales and smoking items such as bongs were also found.

In addition, William Watson Jr., 56, and Angeline Denise Watson, 50, of Avon Park, Sabrina’s parents, were arrested in the case on June 21 and charged with child neglect without serious bodily harm. The parents had custody of the four-year-old.

The police report states that Angeline Watson had never been to her daughter’s apartment and had no knowledge of the conditions. William Watson said someone – the information is redacted – presumably the child was upset because he hadn’t seen Sabrina in a while. He took the person to Sabrina’s apartment but did not go inside. He later told the detective that he thought the apartment looked fine from the outside. The couple has since been released from prison.