A Florida 16-year-old is being charged with manslaughter after using a pillow on her 3-year-old sister to “quiet her down,” allegedly killing the toddler.
Police say the teenager put a pillow over the toddler’s head. https://t.co/jis3qGYOZt
— WCJB TV20 News (@WCJB20) July 19, 2022
The Altamonte springs police department officials said the older sister faces a manslaughter charge after believing there was enough probable cause to arrest her for the death of her little sister.
The eldest daughter was asked to supervise her younger sister while their mother worked from home in Orlando on July 15. She had been working from a bedroom while the children were in the living room.
The working mom had told her eldest to “keep her sister quiet” while she was on the phone.
The teen “placed a pillow over her sister to quiet her down,” then walked out of the room. About 10 minutes later, the teen returned to the room and found the child unresponsive.
The teen carried her unresponsive sister to her mother, then the mother “called 911 and begins to start CPR.”
Officers arrived around 6 p.m. at the Main Stay Suites in Altamonte Springs after receiving a report of a child not breathing.
The child was pronounced dead at the hospital.
“It’s very tragic. It’s a 3-year-old, a very young, young child,” Officer Michelle Montalvo said.
“Sixteen-year-old is also young. A mother loses both daughters in one night because the 16-year-old was arrested that night,” Montalvo said.
Police gave more information on the incident via Facebook.
“On July 15, 2022, the Altamonte Springs Police Department responded to Raymond Ave. regarding an unresponsive juvenile. The juvenile was transported to the hospital, where she was pronounced deceased,” the Facebook post read.
“The investigation is ongoing. However, the preliminary investigation revealed that the sibling, Charlise Bell, DOB 04/07/2006, had placed a pillow over her sister to quiet her down. When she returned to the room, her sister was unresponsive,” the post continued.
Montalvo advises parents to seek professional caretakers when busy or in need of assistance.
“If you feel frustrated, reach out to your resources, reach out to your family members, reach out to your village to prevent something as tragic as what happened this weekend,” Montalvo said.
The 16-year-old is currently being handled as a juvenile in the justice system.
