AARON JERRELL - 9 months - / Charged: Robert Anthony Jerrell - Callahan (Jacksonville) FL

Callahan man charged in death of baby son who drowned in tub


Investigators say man left baby in tub alone

A Callahan man was charged with manslaughter this week in the death of his infant son who died in a bath tub.
Robert Anthony Jerrell, 33, was arrested by Nassau
County deputies Monday in the May 15 death of 9-month-old Aaron, who was
left alone in a bath tub and drowned at their home on Marlee Road,
according to a report by WJXT TV-4.

Jerrell is being held in the county jail without bail.


http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2012-05-23/story/callahan-man-charged-death-baby-son-who-drowned-tub#ixzz1vvhegVZL

Father held in infant's drowning

By Garrett Pelican, News-Leader
Story created May 29, 2012 - 13:27:48 PDT.

Police arrested a Callahan man Monday after his 9-month-old son drowned in the bathtub while under his care May 15.

Police have charged Robert Anthony Jerrell with manslaughter in the infant's death. Jerrell, 33, is being held at Nassau County Jail without bond.

His brother, Joseph Adam Grimes, told police he visited Jerrell's Marlee Road residence in Callahan and saw the infant, Aaron Jerrell, in the 12-inch-deep tub, which was overflowing with water. He said he began to clean up the spilled water with a towel when Jerrell came in with extra towels and told him, "I got this." Grimes then left, he told police.

Roughly 30 minutes had passed when Jerrell called 911 to say he found his infant dead, submerged beneath the water. Jerrell allegedly told deputies that he had left the baby in Grimes's care and that he performed CPR for 15 to 30 minutes before calling police, the report said.

Deputies and emergency personnel arrived about 2:30 p.m. and took over resuscitation efforts, police said. According to the report, Jerrell had drained the tub prior to their arrival.

The infant was transported to Shands Jacksonville, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Sheriff Tommy Seagraves said the investigation of the case continues. He said the baby and a second child, a two-year-old brother, were left unattended and the state Department of Children and Families was called in to investigate the home.

A family member, Shari Collins, expressed her grief at the death. "Never turn your back on a child in the bathtub and don't put the water too high," she said.

Aaron Jewell was born July 26, 2011, to Robert and Simone Jerrell. A graveside service was held Sunday in Jones Cemetery.

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office had arrested Robert Jerrell on April 6 for driving while his license was suspended or revoked, and subsequently arrested him April 23 for a violation of the terms of his release stemming from the April 6 charge, according to JSO.

http://www.fbnewsleader.com/articles/2012/05/29/news/00newsfatherheld.txt