A family was left devastated after a one-year-old girl tragically drowned in nine inches of water while being babysat by her grandfather.
Nevaeh Fugate was playing with her sibling outside their home in Louisiana when she went into the family pool.
Kenner Police Department spokesman Michael Cunningham said of the mostly drained pool: “It was only nine inches of water in that pool. It is a tragic event.”
According to reports, Nevaeh’s four-year-old sibling told officers that she drowned in the water after a dog knocked her into the pool. Her dad and granddad were supposed to be watching the children.
Her grieving mom, Sandra Fugate, has full custody of her four children.
“I’m a single parent with 4 children, a very tragic thing has happened to my baby girl , my 1 year old. I need help with giving her a proper meaningful funeral and burial, anything would help,” she wrote on a fundraising page.
On Facebook, she also wrote: “My precious angel, I don’t under[stand] why God allows some things to happen, I just don’t get it.”
She added: “[I’d] rather be gone baby girl, I wish I [could] have gave you my air from my lungs baby. I can’t process and I can’t believe this. I just want to wake up and it be a dream.”
In another post, Sandra said: “My heart hurts so much, like I thought it hurt when I lost my momma, but losing my baby, not my baby, God, I just can’t process this.
“I’m supposed to be [their] protector and I’ve failed her, I’ve failed everyone.”
The father and the grandfather have undergone toxicology reports and officers will talk to the older sibling again.
KVUE legal analyst Joe Raspanti explained that the ‘largest charge that they can bring in this case’ is likely negligent homicide, which carries up to five-year penalty.
“That would be the one that, if they’re looking to try and put him in jail, that they would charge him with,” he added.
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments section and SHARE this story with your friends and family!