A Pennsylvania foster mom is facing third-degree murder charges after a boy in her care died. Apalosnia Watson reportedly made very questionable decisions that ultimately led to the death of a toddler who drowned in the bathtub. It seems Watson forgot how easy it is for children to drown, especially when they’re left unattended in a bathtub. But she seemed to remember once the boy was unresponsive after she performed CPR. Of course, by then it was too late. In addition to the murder charges, she also is facing child welfare charges. Additionally, the boy’s biological mother has filed wrongful death lawsuits against government child welfare agencies.
Watson was arrested on January 13, 2026, Law & Crime reported. The 39-year-old has been charged with murder and endangering the welfare of a child, according to court documents the outlet reviewed. The charges come about nine months after the death of 1-year-old Sy’vir Hill.
On April 15, 2025, Watson was caring for the boy in her home in Philadelphia, according to an arrest warrant obtained by The Philadelphia Inquirer. In addition to Sy’vir, she was also fostering several other children in her home at that time.
According to authorities, Watson put the 1-year-old in the bathtub alongside a 4-year-old and a 2-year-old. She was heating food in the microwave, and when the timer went off, Watson allegedly left the children in the bathtub to get it.
As she made her way down the stairs, Watson heard “flipping in the water.” When she got back into the bathroom, Sy’vir was face down in the water, Law & Crime reported. She attempted CPR and called 911.
Police arrived to find paramedics already performing CPR, but the boy was still unresponsive. Watson reportedly told police officers, “it happened so fast.” She kept repeating “I don’t want to go to jail.” Sadly, the boy was declared dead.
In October 2025, Sy’vir’s biological mother, Sharee Collins, filed a civil lawsuit against two child welfare agencies, CBS Philadelphia reported. The woman was distraught that months had passed after her son’s death and no charges had been filed against Watson or anyone else.
“He didn’t deserve that, he didn’t. I wouldn’t wish it on nobody else,” Collins said in an interview with the outlet.
Eight months after the boy’s death, in December 2025, the medical examiner’s office ruled his death a homicide. The cause of death was listed as drowning.
“If there’s a case that we should prioritize in our society, it’s the death of a 1-year-old child. I felt that it was not being prioritized,” Collins’ lawyer, A.J. Thomson, told CBS Philadelphia.
A spokesperson for the medical examiner’s office, however, told the outlet that times vary for determining cause and manner of death. “Above all, our priority is to conduct thorough and accurate investigations,” the official said.
According to Thomson, Watson was fostering four children under the age of 5, including Sy’vir’s 4-month-old sister, The Independent reported, citing a previous CBS Philadelphia interview. With other children in her home, he believes she was “at her max.”
He also questioned her reasoning for leaving the children unattended in the bathtub. “What food was that important that you would leave three kids that age in the tub by themselves?” Thomson asked.
Watson was scheduled for a preliminary hearing on February 4. She will next appear in court in March.
