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Sandra Yi Reporting Prosecutors have filed charges against a father and babysitter who left a one-year old girl alone in a bathtub. The girl later died.
Police say the baby was left alone in the bathtub of their West Valley City apartment for 15 minutes.
Capt. Tom McLachlan: "For a small child, an inch or two of water can be fatal if they fall face forward in it."
A teenage babysitter ran the bath, but left the girl alone.
Capt. Tom McLachlan: "She was running other errands and she said she wanted to get herself a snack."
Police say the baby's father, James Sieverts, also made a bad judgment.
Capt. Tom McLachlan: "Apparently the father of the child also went into the bathroom, saw the child there and left the child alone in the bathroom."
When the girl's mother, who was tending a newborn in another room, asked about her daughter, they found the child, face down in the tub. She died at the hospital.
Capt. Tom McLachlan: "Adults have the care and responsibility to watch out for these little kids who do not have the ability or knowledge to know they're in a dangerous situation, and don't have the possibility to rescue themselves."
Police say, unfortunately, cases like this happen too often. In July, January Krebs appeared in court to face misdemeanor charges in connection with her son's death. The 14-month old died after being left alone with his two-year old brother in the bathtub.
Police say the adults in these situations need to be accountable.
Capt. Tom McLachlan: "It just points out the fact that you don't leave small children alone in a tub or anywhere near where there's water, because the consequences can be final and tragic."
James Sieverts is making arrangements to turn himself in to police. The teenage babysitter, who is now 18, is out of state and police are trying to contact her, so she can come back to Utah to face charges. If convicted, they can face up to a year in jail.
