PALM BAY, Fla. – Palm Bay police arrested a woman on child abuse charges after they say she was doing drugs when a baby under her watch almost drowned in a pool.
Leanna Joy Olivo-Comer, 23, has been charged with child abuse and child neglect in the near-drowning of an 18-month-old girl, who tested positive for cocaine, last week, according to police.
Olivo-Comer said she and her boyfriend, Jacob Ricketts, were not watching the child and in the process of doing drugs when the child was found in their pool, police said. She told police she and Ricketts had used cocaine on a bedroom nightstand and that the child may have ingested some of the cocaine.
The father was doing CPR on the child when police arrived and she was brought to Halifax Regional Medical Center where she was diagnosed with pneumonia, police said. Child neglect was suspected after doctors said she appeared to be underdeveloped.
Olivo-Comer was taken to Brevard County jail on two counts of felony child neglect and felony child abuse.
"A defenseless, 18-month-old child left in the hands of people who are doing things that they shouldn't be doing.. that placed the life of this child in jeopardy and that is something that needs to be dealt with and dealt with seriously," said Yvonne Martinez with Palm Bay Police Department.
Also charged with child neglect and child abuse in the incident was Kim Olivo-Comer, who told police she was watching the child when the near-drowning occurred and said that she was under the influence of prescription drugs.
Ricketts, 31, was also charged with child abuse and child neglect after police say he purchased and used the cocaine the baby somehow ingested.