MANATEE — A 19-year-old woman remained in jail Friday night after she was arrested on a first- degree felony charge of aggravated manslaughter after her 11-month-old son drowned in a bathtub, according to Manatee County Sheriff’s Office
Jessica M. Barnes went before a judge who set bond of $5,000.
Barnes was arrested after the State Attorney’s Office reviewed the May 31 incident when she left her son, Ryan Walter Gerken Jr., unattended for approximately five to 10 minutes in a bath tub with about a foot of water. She returned to the bathroom when she didn’t hear the child splashing in the water, according to a released statement. Barnes entered the room and found her son lying face down submerged in the tub. Barnes attempted to administer CPR and called 911. The child died June 3 at All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg. Todd Sellitto of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Crimes Against Children unit wrote in his report Barnes was negligent and failed to provide adequate supervision resulting in the death of the child, according to a released statement.
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