Parents charged after allegedly staging death of three week old baby

A Florida couple has been arrested after allegedly staging the death of their three-week-old son to appear as though he died in his sleep.

Crystal Garcia, 21, and Anfernee Watts, 25, were taken into custody on Wednesday, following a harrowing investigation into the August 2025 incident at their Hollywood home.

While the parents initially claimed the infant was found unresponsive in a playpen, an arrest affidavit obtained by PEOPLE alleges they "provided multiple false and inconsistent statements to law enforcement in an attempt to conceal the true circumstances surrounding the death."

The investigation took a dark turn when Dr Erin Ely of the Broward Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the death a homicide caused by suffocation.

Detectives allege that Mrs Garcia "intentionally restrained the baby by tightly wrapping him in a blanket, securing a pacifier in his mouth, and strapping him into a car seat" before placing him in a bathtub.

She then reportedly played "loud music" to drown out the child's cries. Authorities claim the couple then cleaned the scene with bleach and disposed of evidence before contacting emergency services.

In a significant development, Mrs Garcia later left voice messages for the police admitting she had "lied" and "smothered the baby."

Both defendants now face charges of aggravated manslaughter of a child, tampering with evidence, and child neglect. The pair remain in custody in Broward County awaiting trial.

This case marks a tragic chapter for the local community, which has seen an increase in reported domestic neglect cases over the previous year.