A 3-year-old boy drowned in a backyard swimming pool in Evansville, Indiana, over the weekend, and his mother, Amie Jo Farber, 41, was arrested Saturday, September 19, on a felony charge of neglect of a dependent resulting in death, according to police. Investigators allege Farber drank roughly five 25-ounce beers over about two hours and fell asleep in a patio chair while her son was in the pool.
According to cleveland.com, Farber arrived at the home with her son that afternoon and asked whether he could use the pool. The homeowner agreed but told Farber she needed to supervise the child while he was swimming. The boy was reportedly using a flotation device when the homeowner went inside for several minutes and later returned to find Farber unresponsive in a patio chair and the boy floating face-down in the pool.
The homeowner pulled the child from the water as witnesses began CPR, while another person called 911. Officers responded to the residence in the 1200 block of North Second Avenue after a 911 call was dispatched at approximately 4:44 p.m. Saturday, according to an arrest affidavit cited by Tampa Free Press. Emergency crews took the boy to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Empty Cans and an Admission at the Hospital
The Tampa Free Press reported that the homeowner told police he already knew Farber had a drinking problem and had instructed her to watch her son after she arrived around 2:30 p.m. Farber was reportedly seen near trash cans apparently throwing away empty beer cans.
Farber told officers she “must have fallen asleep” and said, “this is all my fault.” Officers obtained a search warrant for a blood draw while she was being evaluated, and investigators allege she had consumed alcohol before the drowning.
A 2023 Arrest Involving Alcohol and an Infant
Court records show Farber was previously arrested in 2023 on child-neglect charges after a relative found her intoxicated while she was caring for an infant, according to the same WBIW account. That case involved allegations about alcohol and child supervision before the fatal drowning described in the current case.
Farber was booked into the Vanderburgh County Jail in Evansville and is being held on a $25,000 cash bond. Her initial court hearing is scheduled for tomorrow, September 23. The station's report notes that cash-bond terms in felony cases like hers typically reflect judicial concerns about flight risk and public safety.
What Indiana Law Requires Prosecutors to Prove
Under Indiana Code § 35-46-1-4, neglect of a dependent resulting in the death of a child under 14 by an adult caregiver is classified as a Level 1 felony, according to legal analysis by Keffer Hirschauer LLP.
In April 2026, the Indiana Supreme Court was scheduled to hear oral arguments in a neglect case, as reported by the Indiana Office of Court Services.
A Leading Cause of Death for Young Children
According to 2022 data discussed in a 2024 article by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the single leading cause of death among children ages 1 to 4 in the United States.
Why experts emphasize layered pool safety
The American Academy of Pediatrics says drowning is the leading cause of death among U.S. children ages 1 to 4 years. The organization recommends multiple layers of prevention, including close, constant and attentive supervision and appropriate life-jacket use, rather than relying on any single safeguard.
A study of child drowning deaths found that 80.4 percent of drowning fatalities among children under 5 in retention ponds were attributed to neglect, poor or absent supervision, or exposure to hazards. Farber's initial court hearing is set for tomorrow in Vanderburgh County.
