Evansville, Indiana — A 3-year-old boy drowned in a backyard swimming pool after his inflatable float overturned while his mother was allegedly passed out in a patio chair, according to police.
Amie Jo Farber, 41, is facing a charge of neglect of a dependent causing death following the weekend drowning in Evansville. The child was found unresponsive in the pool Saturday afternoon and later died at a hospital.
According to a probable cause affidavit, the Evansville Police Department responded around 4:44 p.m. Saturday to a home in the 1200 block of N. Second Avenue after receiving a report of a child found unresponsive in a pool.
Boy Found Face Down in Pool
When officers arrived, they began lifesaving efforts on the boy before paramedics transported him to a hospital.
Despite those efforts, the child died from the incident. Authorities have not publicly identified him. Police said the boy had been swimming in the pool on a float when the incident occurred.
The homeowner told investigators that Farber, who was a family acquaintance, arrived at the residence around 2:30 p.m. and asked whether her son could use the pool. The homeowner agreed, but only on the condition that Farber supervise the child while he was swimming.
According to the affidavit, the homeowner was aware that Farber had a drinking problem and said she appeared intoxicated when she arrived.
Mother Allegedly Passed Out in Patio Chair
Farber and the homeowner initially remained outside while the boy played in the pool. At some point, however, the homeowner went inside for approximately 10 minutes. When he returned, he allegedly found Farber “passed out” in a patio chair.
The boy was nowhere to be seen, and the child’s floatie had overturned in the pool.
The homeowner then noticed the boy floating face down in the water. He immediately pulled the child from the pool and shouted for someone to call 911. He then began performing CPR while emergency responders were contacted.
During the 911 call, a woman could reportedly be heard saying:
“She passed out drunk,”
Police said the statement referred to Farber.
Police Say Mother Drank Five Large Beers
Investigators later learned that Farber had allegedly consumed five 25-ounce cans of Bud Ice during the roughly two hours she was at the residence.
The large cans, sometimes referred to as “Big Ones,” contained significantly more than a standard 12-ounce beer. Police said Farber’s alleged alcohol consumption was a key part of the circumstances surrounding the incident.
According to the affidavit, Farber told investigators that she had briefly gotten into the pool herself before getting out and lying down in the patio chair.
She allegedly told police she “must’ve fallen asleep.” Farber also reportedly made a brief statement accepting responsibility for what had happened.
“This is all my fault,”
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she allegedly said, without providing additional details, according to police.
Mother Faces Neglect Charge
Authorities collected a blood sample from Farber as part of the investigation before she was taken to the Vanderburgh County Jail.
She is being held on a $25,000 bond and has a court hearing scheduled for Wednesday. The charge against Farber stems from allegations that she failed to properly supervise her young child while he was in the pool.
The investigation remains focused on the circumstances leading up to the drowning, including Farber’s alleged intoxication and the period during which the boy was left without effective supervision.
The case is now moving through the court system, where the allegations against Farber will be addressed through the legal process.
The tragedy has also highlighted how quickly a swimming-pool emergency can unfold, particularly when a very young child is involved. The boy had been using a float, but the overturned float was discovered only after the homeowner returned from inside the house.
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