A Bronx mother is facing serious charges following her seven-year-old daughter’s heartbreaking drowning in a hotel pool while she was at the hotel’s bar.
Erica Baez, aged 41, has been denied bail and is currently facing second-degree manslaughter and child endangerment charges. These charges stem from a horrifying incident that took place on January 13, 2022.
Suffolk County prosecutors explained that the young victim, Katlyn, spent over a year on life support after the tragic incident before finally succumbing to her injuries on May 1.
This whole nightmare unfolded while Baez was staying at the Marriott Hotel in Melville with her boyfriend and her two kids, Katlyn and a five-month-old boy. Baez’s boyfriend had to leave early for work on the fateful day. Later in the afternoon, Baez asked the hotel staff to unlock the indoor swimming pool. Even though the staff warned her there wasn’t a lifeguard around and she’d have to keep an eye on her child, Baez chose to go to the hotel bar instead.
As prosecutors described, Baez spent around half an hour in the bar, munching and drinking, while her little daughter was left alone in the pool. Baez checked on her daughter briefly before leaving her again to go to their hotel room, where her son was also left alone.
Things turned grim when Baez returned to the pool after her second drink. She found her daughter lifeless in the water. Shockingly, the prosecutors said that Baez didn’t rush to her daughter’s aid right away, instead taking a moment to take off her shoes and protect her phone.
When the medical team arrived, Baez allegedly lied to them, saying she had only left her daughter alone for five minutes, according to the DA’s office. Even though the medics were able to revive Katlyn, the lack of oxygen caused permanent brain damage. Katlyn had to rely on a ventilator and a feeding tube for the rest of her short life before passing away.