Image source: Clearwater Police FacebookIn a devastating case out of Florida, 7-year-old Kyrie Gordon lost his life after allegedly being left in a cold bath for 12 hours by his father's girlfriend, 33-year-old Shantay Belcher. Belcher now faces charges of child neglect.
According to reports, Belcher called 911 reporting that Kyrie was "unresponsive." Police state that Belcher admitted leaving the child in cold water overnight and checking on him multiple times as he remained unresponsive, but she did not call for help until the next morning.
Initially, Belcher stated she should have sought assistance sooner for the boy, though she did not explain the reason for waiting. According to Newsbreak, police described Belcher as exhibiting "no remorse" upon her arrest.
Arrest records indicate that around 8:30 pm on Saturday, Belcher was unable to wake Kyrie, who had been sleeping on his bedroom floor, and she allegedly left him there overnight.
Belcher called Kyrie's father around 8 am the next day saying his son was not breathing. She then called 911 shortly after the father arrived home, but the boy could not be revived.
While authorities have not confirmed prior history with child protective services, Belcher may face additional charges pending Kyrie's autopsy results and the ongoing investigation.
The unimaginable loss of the young child's life has undoubtedly shaken the community and raised serious concerns about child endangerment vigilance and prevention.