By Rita Farlow, Times Staff Writer
Monday, November 29, 2010
CLEARWATER — A 42-year-old St. Petersburg woman is accused of leaving her grandson alone in a tub to drown while she was high on prescription medication.
Andrea Jo Wooten was arrested early Thursday on a charge of aggravated manslaughter.
According to Clearwater police, Wooten was babysitting her 10-month-old grandson, Antwan Hill, at an apartment at 1520 N Saturn Ave. on Sept. 4 when a friend came to visit.
After she opened the door for the friend, Wooten went to the bathroom and carried out Antwan, who was unresponsive.
The friend, who police did not identify, called 911.
The baby was taken to Morton Plant Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy revealed he drowned.
Investigators found that he was left in the tub unattended for at least 30 minutes and, possibly, up to two hours.
Police said Wooten, of 2600 26th St. N, appeared intoxicated when detectives interviewed her right after the incident. A blood test revealed she had the anti-anxiety drug Alprazolam in her system.
After the results came in, detectives obtained an arrest warrant Nov. 22, charging her with one count of aggravated manslaughter of a child.
Early Thursday, the St. Petersburg Police Department came into contact with Wooten regarding an unrelated matter and arrested her for the warrant, Clearwater police said.
On Monday, she was being held in the Pinellas County Jail in lieu of $100,000.