A Texas mother is facing charges following an incident in 2023, where her actions are believed to have played a role in her son’s tragic death at a water park.
According to the Daily Mail, Jessica Weaver, 35, stands accused of being constantly glued to her phone.
On May 13, 2023, tragedy struck when 3-year-old Anthony Leo Malave drowned in a four-foot deep pool at Camp Cohen Water Park. His mother, whose attention was momentarily diverted, found him unresponsive. The devastating incident led to the arrest of the grieving mother, who goes by the name of Weaver, on September 22, 2023. However, she was swiftly released on the same day after posting a $100,000 bond.
On December 12, 2024, Weaver faced another indictment for causing serious bodily injury or deficiency to a child. According to the report, the court hearing date has not yet been scheduled.
Multiple Eyewitness Accounts Describe The Texas Mom’s Behavior
In September 2023, KomoNews reported a series of alleged eyewitness accounts. According to the outlet, arrest reports from several witnesses indicate that a woman, who matched Weaver’s description, was spotted sitting outside of a pool for more than an hour, engrossed in her phone and seemingly oblivious to her surroundings.
According to another witness, a woman who looked like Weaver allegedly encouraged the toddler to enter the pool and then walked away, leaving the boy alone. The witness also claimed that it took Weaver a total of five minutes to reach the pool after the lifeguards blew the whistle for everyone to evacuate.
According to another witness, she observed a young boy spitting chips into the pool without any apparent supervision from his parents. Later on, the witness noticed that the boy approached Weaver, who seemed to be engrossed with her phone at the time.
In September 2023, a report by KFOX revealed that despite numerous eyewitness accounts, Weaver’s lawyer is of the opinion that the El Paso District Attorney should prosecute the pool lifeguards instead of the mother. Weaver and her lawyer argued that the city prioritized filling the park with guests over ensuring safety. However, District Attorney Hicks countered this claim by highlighting the safety procedures in place at the water park. Hicks stated, “It’s posted in numerous places over the water park that any child younger than six needs to be attended. She wasn’t doing that.” He further clarified, “A lifeguard is not a babysitter. They are a last resort in hopefully saving a life.” Additionally, Weaver filed a lawsuit against the city of El Paso, seeking $1 million in damages. As reported by the Daily Mail, this lawsuit is still pending.
