Boy, 2, Drowns In Bathtub At OC Home; Mother Arrested: Police

PLACENTIA, CA — An Orange County mother was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter after her 2-year-old son died during a bath at a home in Placentia.

Officers were dispatched to the home in the area of Main Street and Santa Fe Avenue around 9 p.m. Monday, according to the Placentia Police Department.

Upon arriving, paramedics found an unresponsive baby who was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, authorities said.

An initial investigation found the boy's mother — later identified as 40-year-old Melissa Lynn Beisel — was giving the child a bath when she stepped away, then returned to find the toddler face down in the water.

"The investigation revealed that the mother was giving the child a bath in a walk-in shower, using a plastic storage bin," a Placentia Police Department statement read. "The mother walked out of the bathroom to obtain some soap and left the child alone for approximately two minutes."

Beisel was also taken to a hospital for treatment of unspecified self-inflicted injuries, authorities said.

She stayed in the bathroom with the child for about six hours before a family member found her and called authorities, police said.

"Based on investigation at the scene as well as interviews conducted, Beisel was taken into custody after being discharged from the hospital (and booked on suspicion of) involuntary manslaughter and child abuse causing great bodily injury."

Earlier Tuesday, Connell said investigators were in the process of obtaining a search warrant for the home.
The death remains under active investigation and anyone with information about the case was urged to contact the Placentia Police Department Detective Bureau at 714-993-8146.

Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-TIPS-OCCS or occrimestoppers.org.