Murder Charge Against Teen Mother Who Drowned Baby During Drug Induced Bath

The mother of 10-month-old Draiden Shane Nichol has been charged with his murder. 19-year-old Anslie Nicole Brantley had been arrested for allowing the infant to drown by falling asleep while taking a bath with him.

The unfortunate incident took place on June 9. Emergency services were called to the home on Lassiter Road in Sharpsburg, Coweta County, Georgia. The fire department arrived at the scene and found the infant unresponsive. Nichol was reportedly cold and not breathing. After performing CPR on the infant, the first responders transported him to Piedmont Newnan Hospital. The child was eventually pronounced dead later the same day.

Law&Crime reported that deputies from Coweta County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the scene after the fire department had. They started investigating the incident. Speaking to Nichol’s grandmother, 36-year-old Kelli Gordon, the deputies started piecing the events together.

Gordon stated that Brantley had taken the infant to take a bath. She had been in the bathroom for a long time. The worried grandmother tried to check in on the mother and child multiple times. She got muffled noises from inside the bathroom so she went back to watching television.

The grandmother was alerted when she heard her daughter scream. She went to the bathroom to find that the infant was cold and blue. Performing CPR, she called emergency services.

During the investigation over the child’s death, methamphetamine was found in the home which is owned by Gordon. The grandmother was arrested for drug charges which are unrelated to the child’s death. She is being held at Coweta County Jail. The woman’s five minor children were removed from her custody.

Following the grandmother’s arrest, the child’s mother was arrested as well. Brantley was arrested in Alamo, Georgia on Friday, July 29. She was transported back to Coweta County. She faces several charges including murder and child cruelty, the Daily Star reported.

Investigators are awaiting the toxicology report of both Brantley and Nichol. It is believed that the mother had taken drugs before getting into the tub with the child. The child was laid on top of her as she fell asleep in the bath. At some point the child went into the water and drowned without the mother noticing.

Brantley awaits further trial as she is being held without bond at Coweta County Jail.