CLEVELAND — A 25-year-old Cleveland woman accused of sending video of her attempting to drown her 6-year-old son in a bathtub to the child's father in August was indicted on charges, including two counts of attempted murder and multiple counts of endangering children, kidnapping and assault.
Dazshea Watkins was arrested Sept. 4 and indicted Friday, Sept. 13. Bond was set at $10,000, and she posted bail Sept. 12, according to court records.
Watkins tried to drown her son in a bathtub on or about Aug. 28, her indictment states.
Cleveland police investigated the incident after the child's aunt saw the video of the alleged attempted drowning on the father's phone, according to the police report. On Aug. 28, the father received the video, which showed Watkins holding the child by the neck under the water in the bathtub, with the child kicking and splashing water in an attempt to get away from mother. The video ended before it showed Watkins releasing the child.
After the father saw the video, he went to the house and found his son to be safe and took custody of him, the report states. The child's aunt told the father to report the incident, but the father said he did not want Watkins to go jail. When he did not file a report, the aunt filed one on his behalf. The aunt told Watkins to send her the video of the attempted drowning because the father said his phone accidentally reset and his copy of the video was lost.
The aunt told police she spoke to Watkins on the phone, and Watkins said she was pregnant, frustrated and felt alone, which is why she did what she did, the report states.
The indictment states that Watkins also beat the child, hit him in the head with a broom and caused physical harm to him with a pillow.
In total, Watkins faces 32 charges: two counts of attempted murder, six counts of felonious assault, 15 counts of endangering children, four counts of kidnapping, four counts of domestic violence and one count of pandering obscenity involving a minor.
The Cuyahoga County Department of Children and Family Services confirmed they took emergency custody of the child from Watkins. They have a court case Tuesday to get temporary custody of the child. Although DCFS has custody of the child, he is in the care of family members.
DCFS said they have made contact with Watkins twice in the past, but both those cases were closed. They have re-opened a case with her after her indictment for attempting to drown her son.
