A 24-year-old mother in Florida is facing more than a decade in prison after her 3-year-old son tragically drowned in a retention pond. Authorities say she failed to secure her home properly and even tried to convince a neighbor to cover up what really happened. The heartbreaking incident took place at the San Marcos Apartments on San Marco Drive in Ormond Beach.
On Friday, Volusia County Circuit Judge Kathryn Weston sentenced Myra O. Santiago to 12 years in prison for the death of her son, Aziryh Santiago. The sentence came after Myra pleaded no contest to a charge of aggravated manslaughter of a child. In addition to her prison time, she will serve eight years of probation, during which she won’t be allowed unsupervised contact with children. The judge also credited her with 600 days she had already spent in custody.
Before issuing the sentence, Judge Weston addressed Myra in court. She expressed sympathy but also pointed out how preventable the tragedy was, saying, “It’s quite frankly inexcusable that this could have happened. You knew you needed a child lock and simply didn’t get it.”
The tragic events unfolded on April 23, 2023. Security camera footage from a neighbor’s apartment captured little Aziryh walking alone early in the morning. The video showed him holding a tablet as he wandered near the retention pond before running toward it. Sadly, it was the last time he was seen alive.
According to investigators, Myra had left her son alone in the apartment for hours. She admitted knowing that Aziryh could easily leave the apartment, as he had done several times before. Despite this, she failed to install a child safety lock on the door. She later told police that she couldn’t afford the lock, even though officers found cash, smoking pipes, and alcohol in her home, suggesting otherwise.
Myra initially told police she had left Aziryh with a neighbor on the night of April 22 while she went to Daytona Beach with a friend. She claimed she picked him up later that night and put him to bed. But her story began to unravel when officers discovered text messages she had sent to the supposed babysitter, asking her to lie about watching Aziryh.
Messages included desperate pleas like, “Can you tell the Police you watched Aziryh last night?” and “I’m freaking out.” When confronted with these messages during questioning, Myra stopped cooperating and admitted to her mother over the phone that she had left Aziryh alone.
A 15-year-old boy who frequently stayed with Myra also told police he had been with her the night before Aziryh’s death, but his account didn’t match hers. Police noted other inconsistencies in her statements, further undermining her version of events.
This tragedy highlights the importance of protecting children and taking simple safety measures that can save lives. While Myra expressed remorse for what happened, the judge emphasized the weight of her decisions and how they led to such a heartbreaking loss.
