By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-07-23 17:32:53 | Updated at 2026-07-27 11:39:49
3 days ago
A Washington state mother has been accused of killing her disabled toddler after allegedly turning on the bathtub faucet and leaving him face-down in the water for nearly 15 minutes, prosecutors say.
Nakeeya Arbogast, 25, of Seattle, was arrested Monday in connection with the death of her two-year-old son, who prosecutors allege was left alone in a rapidly filling bathtub while she cared for her other children, according to KOMO News.
The toddler, whose name has not been released, fought for his life in the hospital for two days before succumbing to brain injuries caused by the near-drowning.
Arbogast allegedly denied intending to kill her son, who had Down syndrome and significant physical and developmental delays that made him a 'particularly vulnerable' victim, according to court documents.
She was arrested and charged with first-degree manslaughter involving domestic violence, with prosecutors asking that she remain held on $1 million bail.
The tragic incident unfolded on the evening of July 9, when Arbogast frantically called 911 to report that her son was not breathing, according to charging documents obtained by KOMO.
Police and firefighters raced to Arbogast's Seattle apartment in the Northgate neighborhood, where they performed CPR on the child before transporting him to Seattle Children's Hospital.
An investigation was launched, during which police allege Arbogast admitted placing her son's face underwater in the bathtub and allowing it to fill before leaving the room to tend to her two other young children.
Nakeeya Arbogast, 25, of Seattle's Northgate neighborhood in Washington State, was arrested and charged with first-degree manslaughter involving domestic violence on Monday
She allegedly told police she knew leaving him unattended was unsafe but claimed she had to change her other children's diapers and prepare a snack for one of them.
Court records revealed that the young boy's disabilities left him unable to crawl, walk or sit independently without support, as reported by KOMO News.
The mother told investigators she estimated being away from the bathroom for only three to six minutes, a claim prosecutors argued did not align with the evidence.
Instead, prosecutors argued that crime scene testing revealed the bathtub took roughly 14 minutes to fill to the level where the toddler was found unresponsive, a timeline that suggested he had been left in the water far longer than she claimed.
Investigators also allege that, rather than attending to her children, Arbogast was distracted by their father.
According to a probable cause statement obtained by the outlet, Arbogast was on the phone with the father of her children during the time her toddler was allegedly left submerged in the bathtub.
Meanwhile, the unidentified father himself has an active domestic violence protection order restricting contact with his family.
The King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office ultimately charged the mother with first-degree manslaughter after the two-year-old boy died on July 11, two days after he was found.
The two-year-old boy fought for his life for two days in Seattle Children's Hospital before succumbing to brain injuries caused by the near-drowning
Prosecutors argued that the grim incident occurred within the sight or sound of another minor child, which they said could be considered an aggravating factor if convicted.
Alongside the hefty bail request, prosecutors sought strict release conditions, including electronic home monitoring, no contact with minors, the surrender of weapons and a ban on firearms and non-prescribed drugs.
They also asked the judge to prevent her from leaving the state should she be released from behind bars, claiming she poses a risk to public safety and could potentially interfere with the case.
In their argument, prosecutors pointed to red flags raised during the investigation, including what they described as inconsistent statements she allegedly provided to authorities, according to KOMO.
Investigators also believe the broken cellphone Arbogast provided as evidence was not the device she used to call 911 on the night of the incident – another concern prosecutors highlighted.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office and the Seattle Police Department's North Precinct for comment.
