Lutz Mother Charged With Manslaughter In Toddler's Fatal Drowning

LUTZ, FL -- A 30-year-old mother has been charged with aggravated manslaughter in the drowning death of her 3-year-old daughter.

Joy Powell of of 17506 Willow Pond Drive in Lutz, was arrested by Hillsborough County Sheriff's deputies Wednesday, May 9, after investigators concluded she failed to protect her daughter by securing the sliding-glass door leading to the swimming pool on March 10.

According to the sheriff's office, Powell went to work at JT's Road House bar at 13609 N. Florida Ave., Tampa around 9:45 p.m. on March 10. At the beginning of her shift, she reportedly took one 15 mg morphine pill prescribed by her doctor. Around midnight, investigators said she took half of a morphine pill and drank four or five shots of Bailey's Irish Cream and butterscotch liqueur.

She left work around 2:40 a.m. March 11 and drove to her friend's house in Tampa to pick up her daughter, Jasmine Neal, and then drove home where she put her daughter to bed and then fell asleep.

Investigators said Powell work twice the next morning to use the bathroom and to change the baby's diaper. She fell back asleep and was awoken by another of her children who told her Jasmine was in the backyard pool. Jasmine Neal was transported to Florida Hospital Tampa where she later died.

Detectives said Powell was aware that the sliding-glass door did not lock properly. The safety pin that binds both doors together had been missing for one or two weeks and the bar that Powell said she placed in the track to keep the door closed was found under a shovel in the backyard.

Investigators say the 3-year-old was left unsupervised for about 4 1/2 hours and determined that Powell failed to provide the toddler with proper care.

Image via Hillsborough Sheriff

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