A 21-year-old woman from Iowa faces charges of child endangerment leading to death following the tragic drowning of her toddler son in the bathtub.
On December 4, Kayla Bevar was taken into custody after an inquiry into the tragic drowning of her 20-month-old son. According to a statement released by the West Des Moines Police Department, emergency services arrived at Bevar’s residence following a call received around 7 p.m. on the evening of October 31. According to court documents, Bevar placed the call after discovering her son floating in the water upon waking up. He was transported to the hospital, where he was declared deceased.
Court documents reveal that Bevar informed authorities that on the evening of the incident, she initiated the boy’s bath at 6:30 p.m. and exited the room while the drain was sealed and the tub was being filled with water. She allegedly stated that she monitored her son “occasionally” while he was in the bathtub before she dozed off. She subsequently confessed to authorities that she “regularly and carelessly” left her infant son in a filled bathtub for “five-minute intervals, without supervision.”
Upon discovering her son, Bevar found him “floating on his side” and unresponsive while the tub overflowed.
The police described the situation as a “known act of negligence,” noting that the apartment where Bevar resided with her son was in disarray, with “spoiled food and trash scattered across the floors” and “diapers with exposed fecal matter found in the bathroom.” The apartment was devoid of any food appropriate for a toddler, and there was a noticeable absence of children’s clothing.
Bevar faces serious allegations, including child endangerment leading to death and neglect or abandonment of a dependent individual. She is currently held at the Polk County Jail with a cash bail set at $1 million.