Andrew Michael Gomez sentenced to life for drowning mom, toddler in community pool

(CBS/AP) JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Andrew Michael Gomez, who pleaded guilty last month to drowning a young mother and her 18-month-old child, has been sentenced to two consecutive life sentences.

Gomez pleaded guilty in May to two counts of second-degree murder and was sentenced on Friday.

According to police they were all swimming at the community pool in July 2009 when Gomez and Tiffany Sue Cecconi, 18, got into a fight. Authorities say Gomez held Cecconi and her 18-month-old daughter, Kaylani, underwater. Officers say Gomez was standing in the water naked with his arms outstretched when they arrived.

A forensic psychologist testified that the 20-year-old Gomez had tried to kill himself after trying to bring Cecconi,  and Kaylani back to life, reports The Florida Times-Union.

The psychologist said Gomez called himself an apostle and said he was trying to baptize the toddler when a fight broke out that led to the deaths, reports the paper.

His attorney had planned an insanity defense before the plea agreement.