Texas Children Drown In Murky Swimming Pool While Mother Distracted By Cell-Phone

A Texas mother was charged with the drowning deaths of her three oldest children at a community pool where she was supposed to have been watching them, but was distracted by her cell-phone, according to People Magazine .

On June 24, 30-year-old Patricia Allen enjoyed the day with her five children – who couldn’t swim – at a murky swimming pool locating in her apartment complex. It was reported that Allen and her two youngest children – ages 3 and 6 – were at the shallow end of the pool while her other three children were at the deep end.

[ Express NG ] Patricia Allen Arrested For Allowing Her Three Children… http://t.co/neCLq8jnI4 via @ExpressNGR pic.twitter.com/fFfvLrLdAv

— Verified LEGACYfied (@LEGACYfied) July 14, 2015

However, while Allen was distracted on her cell-phone, things went awry when her three oldest children, August, 10, Treshawn, 9, and Anthony Smith, 11, drowned at the swimming pool, according to NY Daily News .

Police say it took them hours to locate one of the drowned children as the swimming pool was dark and unkempt. It was later uncovered that the pool has had previous issues, such as “drains not being visible, cloudy water, and other unsafe conditions.”

“When they arrived, they said that they had seen Patricia sitting at the edge of the pool looking out over the deep end,” said Officer James McLellan of the Irving Police Department. “There were no bubbles, no commotion when they walked up.”

When Texas police officers questioned Allen about the drowning deaths, she mentioned that none of her children could swim, but later changed her statement, claiming that they could float and treat on water.

“The sad fact is that at the moment of these drownings… there was no one else there at the time,” McLellan added.

“If they all could swim, then how did three children die simultaneously? The rarity of that is beyond trying to explain.”

“The male called 911,” McLellan continued. “At first he was confused and didn’t seem to be taking her too seriously, but midway through the call, one of the boys was pulled from the pool unconscious. That’s when the call took on an entirely different tone.”

Although the drowning deaths of the children were ruled accidental, Texas police officials later uncovered “that constituted a criminal offense” and Allen was arrested on July 10 and charged with “one count of injury to a child.”

“We’re not looking at this through the lens that she intended to harm her children,” McLellan explained. “We realize this mother has lost her three children. We’re not trying to say that she tried to kill her children.”

“Patricia Allen is far from a criminal,” said Anthony Bond who is a friend of the family.

“She is a loving, caring, and one of the sweetest people I’ve met for the first time. And she’s a grieving mother.”

If Patricia Allen is found guilty in the drowning deaths of three of her oldest children, she could face up to 20 years in prison.