When young children are in the water, it’s imperative that an adult supervises them. Whether it’s a swimming pool, a lake, or a bathtub, turning your back for just a second can have grave consequences. Courtney Marie Newsom, a 31-year-old mom from Arkansas, learned that lesson in the most difficult way possible. Her 14-month-old son, Brady, drowned while in a bathtub on August 7, 2025. More than two months later, Newsom faces charges in the toddler’s death.
Brookland Police Department officers responded to a call at Newsom’s home about an unresponsive child, according to court documents obtained by KAIT. When officers arrived, they found the frantic mother giving Brady CPR. Investigators asked how long she’d left Brady and his sister in the tub unsupervised. Newsom said just 60 to 90 seconds.
When she returned, Newsom told police she “found her son laying on his back with water over his lips and nose and that she grabbed him out of the tub and started CPR.” Sadly, Brady passed away at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis on August 13.
On September 18, police interviewed Newsom to go over the day of Brady’s death again, advising her that anything she said could be used against her. This time, the mother’s story changed a bit. She told police she got up around 6:55 a.m. and gave her children a bath. Newsom admitted to leaving the children in the bathtub and losing track of time.
“I then text my mom and thought I had only been out of the room for a minute, but I lost track of time cause I was gone for 14 minutes,” Newsom said. “The reason I know this is because I text my Mom the first time a[t] 7 a.m. and called her when I found my son at 7:14 a.m.”
Police noted in the report the mother’s long absence from her children. “So Courtney was out of the bathroom for 14 minutes and the children were unattended and had no one with them for that amount of time,” an investigator wrote.
Police arrested Newsom on October 11. Prosecutors charged her with homicide-manslaughter, recklessly causing death, and two counts of third-degree endangering the welfare of a minor, KAIT reported. She had no prior criminal record and posted a $15,000 surety bond.
According to Brady’s obituary, “He loved watching Curious George, playing with his sister, Mackenzie, and running in his walker.”
Since Brady drowned, his mom has posted several times on Facebook expressing her love for him. Brady’s death clearly devastated Newsom. She’ll likely never forgive herself for what happened to her baby. The guilt she’ll feel for the rest of her life is worse than any prison sentence could ever be.
