An 11-month-old baby drowned in a bath, leading to the arrest of the child’s father on a manslaughter charge. James Dawson, 31, residing in Lepanto, Arkansas, recounted to authorities that on October 2, 2025, while his wife was away, he prepared a bath for the infant and then left to attend to his other two children at the kitchen table. Allegedly, an argument ensued when the kids refused to eat the meal his wife had made.
Dawson admitted that he unintentionally left the baby in the bathtub, grabbed a bowl of food, and sat down before his wife returned home. Upon her arrival, she heard water running in the bathroom and confronted Dawson about it. His response, as per the affidavit, was, “Oh my God, the baby’s in there.”
The couple rushed to the bathroom where they found the baby face down and unresponsive in the tub. Dawson initiated CPR while the mother called 911. Despite being rushed to the hospital, the 11-month-old tragically passed away, as reported by The Mirror US.
Following the incident, Dawson was arrested on Tuesday but was released within an hour. The bail amount remains undisclosed, and no court date has been set. According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Dawson faces charges of manslaughter and first-degree endangerment of a minor. The emergency services were summoned to the residence on October 2, 2025, after receiving reports of an unresponsive baby.
Lepanto, a small town located about 25 miles west of the Mississippi River and the Tennessee state line, was the site of the tragic incident. The Mirror has reached out to the Poinsett County Sheriff’s Office for further details.
