Dad was playing video games when 5-month-old son drowned, deputies say

The father of an Alabama infant who drowned in a bathtub Sunday night told investigators he was playing video games and forgot about the child, AL.com reported.

According to Jefferson County Chief Deputy Randy Christian, Cordarius Cotton, 23, put 5-month-old Dezmend Cotton in the bathtub and left the water running. He allegedly left the room for more than an hour to play a video game, AL.com reported.

When Cotton returned, the child was unresponsive, deputies said. The boy was taken to a hospital and was pronounced dead, AL.com reported.

Cotton was charged with reckless manslaughter and was held on a $15,000 bond, according to the Ledger-Enquirer of Columbus, Georgia. It is a class B felony, punishable by a maximum of 20 years in jail, the Ledger-Enquirer reported.    

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The child's mother was not home at the time, AL.com reported.

Two other children live in the home, but only one was there at the time of the drowning, AL.com reported. The children are now in the care of a grandmother pending an investigation.

"We all have not only a moral obligation, but also a legal obligation to give proper care to a child whose life and well-being depends on a caregivers attention and actions,'' Christian said in a news release. "This was a heart-wrenching case for all involved including our personnel. God Bless this family and this little boy."

Cox Media Group