SUWANNEE COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - No criminal charges will be filed after three children suffocated inside a unplugged chest freezer in Suwannee County.
According to the Suwannee County Sheriff's Office, after reviewing all the evidence, the state attorney's office has decided that no criminal charges will be filed in this case.
The kids, identified as 6-year-old Dawlton Lee Delbridge, 19-month-old Kaliegh Mae Meeks, and 4-year-old Brooklyn Leigh Jackson, died after they got trapped inside an unplugged freezer left in the front yard of their Suwannee County home.
The children were outside playing when they climbed inside the freezer. Investigators believe the freezer lid closed, and a hasp shut, keeping them trapped.
The children's guardians were there at the time of the incident and tried to find the children after realizing that they had gone missing.
The state attorney's office says one of the women maintained custody over Meeks and Delbridge, who are siblings, while another woman living at the home was the mother of 4-year-old Jackson.
Neither woman will face criminal charges.
The state attorney's office sent a letter to deputies saying that "all evidence indicates that the freezer was not in the yard for an extensive period of time," and said that Florida Statue 823.07 doesn't apply because the freezer was not abandoned or discarded.
"There is no evidence of foul play," State Attorney Jeffery Siegmeister wrote in the letter. "There is nothing to suggest the deaths resulted in any intentional or malicious act."
"We understand that some people will not agree with this decision," deputies wrote, "however, it was based upon a review of all of the available evidence in this case and Florida Statutes."
SUWANNEE COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - Funeral arrangements have been made for the three children found dead inside a freezer.
According to the Suwannee County Sheriff's Office, Burns Funeral Home in Perry will be handling the arrangements for all three children.
Services for the 1-year-old and 6-year-old siblings is tentatively set for Friday.
The family of the 4-year-old will have a private ceremony at a later date.
Adults could potentially face charges in Suwannee County children's deaths
SUWANNEE COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - Felony charges could be filed after three young Suwannee County children suffocated inside a unplugged chest freezer.
The three children, ages 1, 4, and 6, died after they were trapped inside an unplugged chest freezer left in the yard of a Suwannee County home.
Investigators say the mother of the 4-year-old was outside when the kids were playing, but went inside to use the bathroom. When she came back out, she couldn’t find the kids. She woke up the grandmother of the other two kids, and eventually, they found the kids in the freezer.
This is an active investigation, but so far, no one has been charged in what the sheriff called a “tragedy.”
Sheriff Sam St. John confirms the cause of death for all three children is "accidental asphyxiation." He said it wasn't a surprise, and that investigators were anticipating that result.
However, the adults in the case could still be facing charges under Florida law.
According to Florida Statue 823.07, it is against the law to knowingly abandon "any icebox, refrigerator, deep-freeze locker, clothes washer, clothes dryer, or similar airtight unit having an interior storage capacity of 11/2 cubic feet or more from which the door has not been removed.
In Florida, the offense is considered a misdemeanor. But if a child is injured or dies, the charge could be a third-degree felony.
"What we're looking at is naturally, one of them is there's a Florida statute against having these appliances out on your property abandoned where children can get into them to prevent incident just like this here," said Sheriff St. John. "So, any type of freezer, refrigerator, washer, dryer, anything that when the lid closes is airtight, is prohibited on your property."
The investigation is still ongoing, but at this time, foul play is not suspected.
The case has been forwarded to the Third Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office for review.
Funeral arrangements set for three children found trapped in freezer
SUWANNEE COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - Funeral arrangements have been announced for the three children that were found in an unplugged freezer at a home.
According to the Suwannee County Sheriff's Office, Burns Funeral Home on 1400 N Johnson Stripling Road in Perry, FL will be handling the arrangements for all three children.
Services for the 1-year-old and 6-year-old siblings will be tentatively held on Friday Jan. 18.
The family of the 4-year-old will be having a private ceremony at a later date.
If anyone would like to donate to the cost of the services, please contact Burns Funeral Home at 850-584-4149.
Three children dead after being trapped in freezer, authorities investigating
SUWANNEE COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - Foul play is not suspected in the deaths of three children found in an unplugged freezer at a home.
This is an active investigation, but so far, no one has been charged in what the sheriff called a “tragedy.”
Sheriff Sam St. John confirms the cause of death for all three children is "accidental asphyxiation." He said it wasn't a surprise, and that investigators were anticipating that result.
No other signs of trauma were discovered, which he said reinforced the theory that this was an accident.
Deputies and first responders headed to a home on 173rd Place in Live Oak Sunday evening after a woman called 911 to report three children not breathing.
The kids were playing outside and somehow got inside a chest freezer in the yard that hadn’t been plugged in. Investigators believe the freezer lid closed, and a hasp shut, keeping them trapped.
Two siblings, a 6-year-old and 1-year-old, died. So did a 4-year-old living with them.
Sheriff Sam St. John said losing these children has devastated this tight-knit community.
"When they hear about it, their heart breaks, you know? Because any time you deal with children and especially something like this when they die from something that, you know, of this nature, it just tugs at your heart strings and it’s just so, so devastating," said Sheriff St. John.
Investigators say the mother of the 4-year-old was outside when the kids were playing, but went inside to use the bathroom. When she came back out, she couldn’t find the kids. She woke up the grandmother of the other two kids, and eventually, they found the kids in the freezer.
Sheriff St. John said he reminds the community to keep a close watch on children in light of what happened.
Meanwhile, the Florida Department of Children and Families is aware of this case, which is now being reviewed by the State Attorney’s Office.
SUWANNEE COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - Authorities say three young children are dead after being found unresponsive inside a chest freezer Sunday evening.
Sunday evening, the Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office says they received a 911 call from a residence on 173rd Place regarding three children that were found not breathing.
Deputies, along with Suwannee County Fire Rescue (SCFR) personnel, responded to the scene where they encountered family members performing CPR on the children. SCFR transported the three children to an area hospital.
Unfortunately, all efforts to resuscitate the children were unsuccessful and all three children died.
The Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office requested the Florida Department of Law Enforcement respond to the residence to assist in processing the scene. Investigators then conducted interviews with all of the adults present at the home during this incident.
A preliminary investigation revealed that the three children, aged 1, 4, and 6, were playing outside in the yard, when for unknown reasons, they climbed inside of a chest freezer that had recently been brought to the home.
The freezer was not plugged in or brought inside.
Deputies said the adult woman who was watching the kids was inside using the restroom when the children climbed in the freezer. When the woman returned to the yard, she couldn't find the children, so she woke up the other woman who was at home and they began to search the property and an adjacent vacant home for the children.
When they opened the chest freezer, they discovered all three children inside of it, not breathing, and began resuscitative efforts and called 911.
Upon further inspection of the freezer, a hasp had been installed on the lid in order to secure a padlock on it. Deputies believe that when the children entered the freezer, the lid closed and the hasp fell shut, trapping the children inside. There was no padlock on the freezer.
The Florida Department of Children and Families has also been notified. The investigation is still ongoing, but at this time, foul play is not suspected.
The case has been forwarded to the Third Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office for review.
