Woman Whose Child Drowned In Plastic Bin Bathtub Due In Court

PLACENTIA, CA — An Orange County mother whose 2-year-old drowned during a bath at home in Placentia was scheduled to make her first appearance in court Tuesday on charge of murder.

Melissa Lynn Beisel was charged with murder and a felony count of assault on a child with force likely to produce great bodily injury resulting in death. She was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in the jail courtroom in Santa Ana.

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Placentia Police officers were dispatched to the home in the area of Main Street and Santa Fe Avenue around 9 p.m. Monday, Sept. 22.

Upon arriving, paramedics found an unresponsive baby who was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. He was later identified as Aidan Beisel.

Investigators found that Aidan's mother was giving the child a bath when she stepped away, then returned to find the toddler face down in the water.

"The investigation revealed that the mother was giving the child a bath in a walk-in shower, using a plastic storage bin," a Placentia Police Department statement read. "The mother walked out of the bathroom to obtain some soap and left the child alone for approximately two minutes."

Beisel was also taken to a hospital for treatment of unspecified self-inflicted injuries, authorities said.

She stayed in the bathroom with the child for about six hours before a family member found her and called authorities, police said.

"Based on investigation at the scene as well as interviews conducted, Beisel was taken into custody after being discharged from the hospital (and booked on suspicion of) involuntary manslaughter and child abuse causing great bodily injury."

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