Mother Charged With Aggravated Manslaughter In Son's Drowning

GIBSONTON, FL — A 28-year-old mother has been charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child following the drowning death of her 9-year-old son in Bullfrog Creek July 31.

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister announced that Tabatha Nicole Long was arrested at about 6:20 a.m. Thursday at her home in Gibsonton.

At about 2:30 p.m. on July 31, deputies were called to Bullfrog Creek for a report of a boy who went under water and never came back up.

The first deputy arrived in less than five minutes and immediately jumped into the water but was unable to find the child, Bentley Long.

The sheriff's dive team arrived a short time later and found the boy about 30 minutes after he went under water. Deputies attempted to revive the child, but were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at St Joseph's Hospital.

Tabatha Long told deputies that her son went into the water without her permission. She said Bentley could swim, but wasn't a strong swimmer.

Upon further investigation and interviews with witnesses, deputies learned that Bentley could not swim and that his mother went into the water with him on her back. Long submitted to a blood draw several hours after the incident. Her blood alcohol level was a 0.07 and marijuana was found in her system. The legal limit in Florida is 0.08.

"This mother, someone who should have the utmost care and responsibility for her child, essentially had a complete disregard for his well-being," said Chronister. "She chose to drink and get high over the safety of her child."

Long was arrested at 6:20 a.m. Thursday at her home in Gibsonton and book into the Orient Road Jail.

"Although Bentley can no longer speak, we, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, will be his voice, and today, we make sure the person responsible for his death is held accountable," said Chronister.

See related story: 9-Year-Old Boy Dies After Falling Into Bullfrog Creek