Child Left Alone In Bathtub Dies

INDIANAPOLIS -- A 14-month-old girl who was left unsupervised in a bathtub died Tuesday, hours after she was taken to a hospital.

Aleena Lopez died at about 5 a.m. at Riley Hospital for Children.

Police and paramedics were called to an apartment in the 4300 block of Madison Avenue at about 9:20 p.m. Monday.

Officers said the girl's mother, Angel Lopez, was distraught when they arrived and told them that she had put Aleena in the tub and left to finish cooking dinner for her two sons, ages 7 and 3.

Lopez told police that she had been in the kitchen for between three to five minutes before she went back to the bathroom to check on the child.

Police said Lopez told them that Aleena was under water and had bubbles coming from her nose.

"It's a very tragic situation," said Indianapolis police Lt. Jeff Duhamell. "You just can't leave them unattended. Things can happen and go wrong very quickly."

A neighbor told police that she heard screams from Lopez's apartment before she went there to see what was happening.

The neighbor began administering CPR before paramedics arrived. The child was taken to Community South Hospital before she was sent to Riley.

Police are gathering information for the prosecutor to decide if charges should be filed.