Tragic Bathtub Death Leads to Arrest: Florence Mother Charged After 4-Month-Old Baby Found Unresponsive.

Tragic Bathtub Death Leads to Arrest, Florence Mother Charged After 4-Month-Old Baby Found Unresponsive.

Authorities in Florence have arrested a 35-year-old woman following the tragic death of her infant daughter, a case investigators say involved alleged drug use and child neglect. According to the Florence Police Department, Ieshia Canteen Ford is now facing serious charges, including murder/homicide by child abuse and unlawfully placing a child at risk of or causing harm.

Police say the incident occurred on December 8 inside an apartment located on the 800 block of Waverly Avenue, where Ford was reportedly the only adult present with her two young children—a 4-month-old baby and a 2-year-old toddler. Investigators allege that during that time, the infant fell into bathwater and later became unresponsive.

When officers arrived and began questioning Ford, authorities reported that she appeared to be under the influence of narcotics. According to an arrest warrant, a blood sample taken during the investigation later revealed the presence of the medications Benadryl and Xanax. Police say Ford admitted she had taken the substances in an attempt to help her sleep.

Ford told investigators that her daughter had briefly fallen into the bathtub but was quickly removed from the water. However, emergency responders reported that during lifesaving efforts, large amounts of fluid came from the infant’s airway, something officials said suggested a longer period of submersion than initially described.

Authorities also noted that open medicine bottles were found in a bedroom where the 2-year-old could access them. After an extensive investigation, Ford was arrested Tuesday and is currently being held at the Florence County Detention Center while the case proceeds through the legal system.