Georgia grandmother charged with manslaughter after 2-year-old grandson dies in pool drowning
Authorities found bystanders performing CPR on Axel, who was later taken to a hospital
A Georgia grandmother has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after her 2-year-old grandson drowned at a community pool last month.
Emelisa Paz-Santos, 44, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and second-degree cruelty to children on July 15 in connection with the death of her grandson, Axel Delgado, according to Fulton County jail records.
The charges stem from an incident on the evening of June 21, when Roswell Police Department officers, firefighters and paramedics responded to a reported drowning at the clubhouse pool of an apartment complex in Roswell, Georgia.
Authorities found bystanders performing CPR on Axel, who was later taken to a hospital. The toddler died the following day.
Axel and his family were attending a social gathering at the Harbor Landing clubhouse pool, located within the Lake House at the Martin’s Landing apartment complex, according to local reports.
Following the tragedy, members of the community gathered to support Axel’s family and expressed their condolences.
“I’m feeling really, really sorry for the family,” neighbor Mary Emily Landers told Atlanta News First. “As they navigate that, I hope they feel the support from the community, both within this community, [the] apartment community, and also outside of it. It truly is such a loss.”
After reviewing surveillance footage and interviewing witnesses who were present at the pool, investigators determined that Paz-Santos “failed to provide adequate care and supervision for Delgado, resulting in his drowning,” police said.
Paz-Santos surrendered to authorities on July 14, one day before she was formally charged.
Her bond was set at $35,000 for the involuntary manslaughter charge and $5,000 for the cruelty to children charge, according to jail records.
She is also being held on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement hold.
The investigation remains ongoing. Authorities are asking anyone with additional information to contact the Roswell Police Department or Crime Stoppers Greater Atlanta.
The Roswell Police Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.