"I love my son": Mom accused of repeatedly dunking her child under water at swimming pool
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Brittany Jasmine still can't believe she's accused of child endangerment for what she described as a simple birthday party.
"I love my child," said the young mother of two who spoke exclusively to Eyewitness News. "My child doesn't want for nothing."
It was June 3 and Jasmine said she and several of her friends brought their kids to the pool at the Sunnyside Community Center to celebrate her 3-year-old son's birthday. Jasmine said she was just playing with her 1-year-old by splashing him in and out of the water.
VIDEO: Watch Miya Shay's full interview with Brittany Jasmine
She admitted to submerging him a few times, but insisted it was for fun and no more than a second or two.
"I just know it was down and up, down and up, that's it," she said. "No, I did not know it was dangerous for a child, that's why I said I didn't think nothing of it."
Little Jayden almost died.
Court records show the 1-year-old lost consciousness and a City of Houston lifeguard saved his life. Jasmine is now charged with child endangerment.
The boy's father is defending Jasmine.
"This is a young mother who made a novice mistake," said Jayden's father Ray Everhart. "A good person, she's a good mom and this is a tragic accident, and we don't want it to turn into a political witch hunt."
In fact, both Everhart and Jasmine put some of the blame on City of Houston lifeguards, arguing they should have responded quicker. Sources at the Houston Parks Department bristled at the suggestions made by the parents, pointing out again it was their lifeguards who saved the baby's life.
"I shouldn't have tried to teach him how to swim," admitted Jasmine. Her next court date is set for late August.
Swim experts said this near-drowning should be a warning to all parents.
"Sometimes parents don't know what they don't know, until they get into a situation," said Tracy Laman, Aquatics Director for Houston Swim Club. "Like this mom, it's too late before she realizes, 'Huh, I don't think I know what I'm doing.'"
Laman said with lessons, a baby can hold his breath from six to eight seconds. However, kids who have had no training should not be repeatedly submerged.
"Limit submersion to three or four times in a 30-minute time span, you don't want to do them over and over and over again, so spread them out," said Laman, adding that if the child shows any signs of distress, you must stop immediately.
"If your child is not having fun and showing extreme signs of anxiety, stop, do something else."
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