Police: Texas Mom Was Messaging On Facebook While 6-Month-Old Daughter, Zayla Hernandez, Drowned In Bathtub

A Texas mom was arrested and charged with the death of her 6-month-old daughter, Zayla Hernandez, after investigators learned that she left her baby unattended in the bathtub while she was messaging two people on Facebook, according to CBS News.

On June 13, Cheyenne Summer Stuckey, 21, of Azle, stated that she was preparing a bath for her baby in her home in the 1500 block of Reno Road. She placed Zayla in the tub and turned on the water before walking out of the bathroom when she became distracted by another child in the home.

Stuckey claimed that when she returned just several minutes later, she found her baby face-down, floating in the bathtub with the water still running. She said she tried to resuscitate the baby, but she was unsuccessful as she didn’t know the necessary steps to revive baby Zayla.

When emergency medical services arrived at the home, baby Zayla was rushed to an area hospital where she was pronounced dead just shortly after arrival.

Investigators with the Reno Police Department questioned Stuckey in regards to Zayla’s drowning, and she stated that she forgot about her daughter being alone in the bathtub after becoming distracted by Facebook messenger and how loud her television was playing. When she realized that she had left baby Zayla unattended in the bathroom, she said she ran to her aid, but it was too late.

A criminal investigation revealed that Stuckey was on Facebook messenger for at least 18 minutes while her daughter was drowning in the bathtub.

Zayla’s remains were transported to a Tarrant County medical examiner’s office for an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. The results indicated that Zayla died from drowning.

Stuckey was arrested on Wednesday in connection to Zayla’s death, and she was charged with injury to a child. She remains in the Parker County jail. A bond has not been set.

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A Go Fund Me page was created for Zayla’s family to help with funeral expenses. Relatives are seeking $5,000, but have accumulated $125 in donations within five days.

After Zayla had drowned in the bathtub, the remaining children in the home were removed and placed in foster care.

[Featured Image by Parker County Sheriff’s Office]