Tragic Texas Water Park Incident: Mother Faces Charges of Neglect as Toddler Drowns While She Reportedly Remained Engrossed in Her Phone

In a tragic incident at a Texas water park, a mother stands accused of neglecting her 3-year-old son, resulting in his drowning. 

According to authorities, Jessica Weaver, 35, was allegedly engrossed in her phone and singing to music, leaving her child unattended at Camp Cohen Water Park in El Paso. Weaver faces charges of negligence and injury to a child by omission in connection with her son's death.

Witnesses at the scene reported that Weaver appeared recklessly inattentive before the tragic incident occurred during a "soft opening" of the park in May. She was arrested in her hometown of Indiana and subsequently extradited to El Paso, where she was released on a $100,000 surety bond.

During the incident, one of the 18 lifeguards on duty at the park rescued Anthony from a 4-foot-deep section of the pool where he had drowned. It's worth noting that the child was not wearing a life vest, even though they were available for guests at the facility.

Camp Cohen's posted rules stipulate that children aged 6 and under must be under the direct supervision of a swimming adult at all times and be within arm's reach of an adult.

Investigators interviewed several witnesses on the day of the accident, some of whom observed Weaver glued to her phone for an extended period without paying attention to her surroundings. Another witness mentioned that she was taking photos while another recalled her singing and lying down by the pool just minutes before the child was pulled from the water.

One witness even claimed that she encouraged the toddler to enter the pool and then left him unattended. It reportedly took her about five minutes to respond after being alerted that the child was underwater.

El Paso DA Bill Hicks emphasized that Weaver was charged due to her insufficient attention to her son, reiterating that lifeguards are not babysitters but a last resort for life-saving.

However, Weaver's legal team contends that she is wrongly held responsible for her son's death and has filed a $1 million lawsuit against the city. 

They argue that the tragedy resulted from "gross negligence" by the park and its lifeguards, accusing the city of not requiring sufficient experience for lifeguard candidates and alleging the destruction of surveillance video on the day of the drowning.

Hicks maintains that the lawsuit is unrelated to the criminal charges, highlighting that every child's death is thoroughly reviewed, and criminal proceedings are pursued on a case-by-case basis.

For comments regarding this matter, we have reached out to ASM Global, the entertainment company responsible for operating the camp, but have not yet received a response.

In another startling case of mistaken identity, hitmen from a drug cartel have reportedly killed their own leader. The incident unfolded at a private health clinic in Culiacán, Mexico, on the night of September 28, 2023. See detailed story here

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