Foster mom left 3 children alone in filled bathtub because she heard microwave, leading 1-year-old to die, authorities say

A Pennsylvania pistillate has been charged months aft authorities accidental she near 3 young children unsocial successful a filled bathtub truthful she could retrieve her food, starring to 1 of their deaths.

Apalosnia Watson, 39, has been charged with murder and endangering the payment of a child, tribunal records reviewed by Law&Crime show. The complaint came astir 9 months aft 1-year-old Sy'vir Hill died.

On April 15, 2025, Watson was caring for Hill astatine her location connected the 900 artifact of East Schiller Street successful Philadelphia, according to an apprehension warrant reviewed by The Philadelphia Inquirer. She was Sy'vir's foster mother, and she was caring for respective different children successful the location arsenic well.

As authorities archer it, Watson enactment a 4-year-old, a 2-year-old, and Sy'vir successful a bathtub portion her nutrient heated up successful a microwave downstairs. When the microwave sounded its alert that the nutrient was ready, she allegedly near the children to spell retrieve it.

But arsenic Watson went down the stairs, she heard "flipping successful the water," and erstwhile she returned to the bathtub, Sy'vir was look down successful the water, the warrant added. The foster parent attempted CPR and called 911.

Police arrived astatine the country to find paramedics performing CPR connected the unresponsive child. Watson reportedly told the instrumentality enforcement officers that "it happened truthful fast" portion repeating the phrase, "I don't privation to spell to jail."

The kid was pronounced dead.

The summertime and autumn of 2025 came and went, though, without charges. Sy'vir's biologic mother, Sharee Collins, filed a civilian lawsuit successful October, accusing 2 kid payment agencies of placing her kid successful a crowded home. Collins' attorney, A.J. Thomson, told Philadelphia CBS affiliate KYW that helium obtained documents showing that the foster genitor had 4 foster kids each nether the property of 5 successful her home, arsenic good arsenic different kid relatives, and she was frankincense "at her max."

The lawyer was besides stunned by the alleged behaviour of the foster parent.

"What nutrient was that important that you would permission 3 kids that property successful the tub by themselves?" Thomson rhetorically asked while speaking with the section TV station's investigative reporter. "If there's a lawsuit that we should prioritize successful our society, it's the decease of a 1-year-old child. I felt that it was not being prioritized."

A visibly distraught Collins said successful her ain interrogation that portion she was upset she didn't person custody of her son, she trusted helium would beryllium placed successful a harmless home. "He didn't merit that, helium didn't," she said of his death. "I wouldn't privation it connected cipher else."

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In December, the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office ruled Sy'vir's decease a homicide arsenic a effect of drowning. Thomson contended that it was their suit that spurred the authorities to act.

According to the lawsuit, which was reviewed by Law&Crime, Watson expressed disorder astir however Sy'vir could person drowned "because helium knew however to walk, and helium did not person immoderate issues with his equilibrium and knew however to get successful and retired of the tub alone."

A spokesperson for the aesculapian examiner's bureau told KYW that investigations alteration successful duration owed to galore factors and, "Above all, our precedence is to behaviour thorough and close investigations."

After reviewing the child's death, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services ruled determination were nary "deficiencies successful compliance with statutes, regulations and services" and submitted nary recommendations for change.

Watson was arrested connected Jan. 13, 2026, tribunal records show. She was scheduled to acquisition a preliminary proceeding connected Wednesday, with different tribunal day acceptable for March 4.