DA Charges Yuba County Mother With Murder In Suspected Drowning Of Her 2 Young Children In Bathtub
LINDA (CBS13) -- Authorities arrested a mother in Linda who is suspected of drowning her infant and toddler children in the family's bathtub, the Yuba County Sheriff's Office said Thursday.
Courtney Williams, 25, was arrested at the family's home on Sunshine Avenue just before noon Wednesday after the father of the children called 911 to report possible drownings.
Deputies who responded to the home found the unresponsive children — five-month-old Holden and 2-year-old Ronin — in the bathroom. Despite CPR attempts, the children were declared dead at the scene, authorities said.
"The tragic loss of five-month-old Holden and his two-and-a-half-year-old brother Ronin reverberates throughout our department and into the community," Yuba County Sheriff Wendell Anderson said Thursday. "There are no words to adequately describe the sadness we feel for the family at this time."
Investigators said the children's father arrived home from work for lunch just before noon when Williams allegedly told him she had hurt the children. He then reportedly found the two boys in a bathtub full of water.
Investigators said the drowning appears to be intentional at this time, but the investigation remains active in the very early stages.
Initial reports were completed Friday. On Monday, the Yuba County District Attorney's Office announced that they had filed two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of child abuse resulting in death against Williams.
If convicted on the charges, the DA's office says Williams faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole.
Williams is scheduled to be arraigned in court on Monday afternoon.
