Baby drowns, toddler injured in bathtub when woman walks away, police say

Baby Drowns, Toddler Injured After Woman Allegedly Left Them In Bathtub

14-month-old baby girl is dead after deputies say her mother put her and another child in a bathtub and walked away.

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The incident happened Tuesday at a home in Fernandina Beach, Florida. Deputies arrived and started CPR immediately, authorities said.

“Unfortunately, this tragedy was totally preventable," Nassau County Sheriff Blil Leeper said. "[It's] a sad reminder that when your child is in -- or near -- the water, you need to keep your eyes on them at all times.”

The Nassau Sheriff's Office said the 14-month-old was taken to a medical center in Fernandina Beach, where she died. A 3-year-old girl was also in the house and was handed over to a relative.

Emergency personnel tried everything they could, but the 14-month-old girl didn't make it.

Deputies quickly blocked off the road to begin an investigation. Sky Action News Jax flew over the scene as deputies roped off the home with crime scene tape.

Deputies say the 911 call came in around 1:20 p.m. Tuesday. The mother claimed she put the two kids in the bathtub and walked away, and when she came back, they were under water.

Authorities say any possible charges will not come until their investigation is complete.