A 23-year-old woman has been arrested and charged with first-degree premeditated homicide after police say she admitted to drowning her 7-month-old daughter.
Tierra Scott-Franklin called 911 herself on Wednesday afternoon, reporting that she had drowned her infant at the Sweetwater Square Apartments. First responders arrived shortly after 12:45 p.m. and found the child unresponsive in a bathtub. Emergency personnel attempted lifesaving measures and transported the infant to a local hospital, but she was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Investigators reported that during a police interview, Scott-Franklin allegedly provided a step-by-step account of the drowning. She reportedly filled the bathtub halfway, placed the infant in it face-up, and left the bathroom for about five minutes, expecting the child to die. She claimed to have attempted chest compressions briefly but stopped after seeing fluid expelled from the baby’s mouth.
Authorities say the motive may have been Scott-Franklin’s fear of losing custody due to prior legal issues. She allegedly told police:
“If I can’t have my baby, no one can. I’m sorry, but I don’t regret it.”
Scott-Franklin was reportedly serving a five-year probation from a 2025 battery conviction involving a 67-year-old victim. She also claimed to suffer from multiple mental illnesses and hearing voices. A review of her digital history allegedly showed searches for terms related to “suffocation.”
She has been booked into the Alachua County Jail, and investigators continue to review the case.