CINCINNATI, Ohio – A mother from Ohio has confessed to involuntary manslaughter after her 3-year-old son drowned in a bathtub while she was asleep. Molly Krebs, 28, found her son Jayden lifeless in the bathtub of their Cincinnati home following a 90-minute nap on December 1, 2022.
Krebs, who initially pleaded not guilty to charges of involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment, changed her plea in the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas on Wednesday. This change came as part of a plea deal that saw the child endangerment charge dropped. The sentencing hearing is set for September 26, where Krebs could face up to 11 years in prison under Ohio’s sentencing guidelines.
On the night of the incident, Krebs, exhausted from a long day at her job at a contracting and decorating company, gave Jayden Benadryl to treat an allergic reaction, according to court documents. She then ran a bath for her son and left him unattended while she took a nap. Upon waking, she found her son partially submerged and unresponsive in the bathtub.
Jayden was rushed to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Following the incident, Krebs was taken into custody by the Cincinnati Police Department’s Homicide Unit. Despite the charges, Krebs was allowed to attend her son’s funeral, a decision that sparked controversy at the time.
During her bond hearing in December 2022, Krebs’ attorney, Jeffrey Adams, described the incident as ‘completely accidental’ and stated that his client was ‘completely devastated’ by the loss of her son. Krebs’ bond was initially set at $750,000.
The American Academy of Pediatrics claims that it is unadvisable to give Benadryl to children under the age of 6 unless specifically directed by a doctor. One of the main side effects is sedation, which can cause children to become very drowsy or even fall asleep, according to Nationwide Children’s Hospital.