Tri-State woman charged in death of 3-year-old son

DEARBORN COUNTY, Ind. (FOX19) - Five months after a three-year-old died in Dearborn County, Indiana, the boy’s mother has been charged in connection with his death.

Christina Watkins is currently in the Dearborn County Jail after being arrested by Aurora police Tuesday. She has since been indicted on one count of neglect resulting in serious bodily injury and one count of reckless homicide.

The charges stem from the death of her son in January at their home in the 100 block of Aspen Ridge Drive.

According to a probable cause affidavit, investigators say Watkins had a bag to hold her methadone, and it was unlocked. Police say the lock was found on the bar area of a counter in the home.

The affidavit states Watkins had six bottles in the bag, one untouched, three empty, and two with very small amounts of methadone left.

The toxicology report performed on the boy shows he had 380 units of methadone in his system.

Court documents say Watkins told investigators her son may have ingested Comet cleaner, but since he showed no signs of having taken it, she thought he was fine.

In addition to the methadone, the affidavit says obesity was also a factor in his death. The boy weighed 80 lbs., which is more than double the average weight of a three-year-old, according to doctors at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.

Investigators say Watkins neglected the boy by not getting him to a hospital.

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