Shock and sorrow gripped a Chicago courtroom this week after 31-year-old Surah Amon was ordered held with out bail for the alleged drowning of her toddler son throughout a psychological well being breakdown.
The mom is accused of strolling into Lake Michigan together with her 14-month-old child, Sir Watson, at South Shore Seashore final Friday evening, then letting go of him within the water earlier than screaming to beachgoers:
“I killed my son. I need to die.”
Witnesses instantly known as for assist, however regardless of rescue efforts by the Chicago Hearth Division’s Marine Unit, the kid was pulled from the lake unresponsive and later pronounced useless at Comer Kids’s Hospital.
Authorities stated the tragedy occurred mere hours after Amon was kicked out of the home she shared together with her youngster’s father and grandmother — following a violent confrontation that ended with an order of safety being served towards her.
Prosecutors revealed that tensions had been boiling for weeks.
On July 11, Amon was ordered to avoid the house, however the grandmother allowed her to stay. That modified on July 17, when Amon allegedly attacked the older girl, prompting police intervention.
On the day of the drowning, a relative had known as 911 for psychological well being assist, however police reportedly informed the household there was nothing they might do since Amon wasn’t being violent on the time.
Later that evening, she left with the kid.
Round 9:45 p.m., horrified beachgoers at Chicago’s Yacht Harbor heard Amon screaming in deeper water.
First responders discovered her with cuts on her wrists, and he or she was transported to College of Chicago Medical Heart for remedy and a psychiatric analysis.
In her assertion to police, Amon allegedly confessed that she drowned her youngster after being deserted and felt she had no method out.
Throughout a tense court docket listening to, Assistant State’s Legal professional Todd Kleist described the horror of the kid’s remaining moments and stated:
“She’s the one who’s supposed to guard this youngster… and he or she is the one who killed him.”
Choose Suzanna Ortiz agreed to disclaim bail, stating Amon was a hazard to each herself and the general public because of an evident severe psychological well being disaster.
Amon’s household wept in court docket. Her sister informed reporters that they’d begged authorities for assist simply hours earlier than the incident.
“Three hours earlier than this occurred, we known as police to get a psychological well being staff. They informed us there was nothing they might do,” she stated.
Amon, who has no prior prison document, stays behind bars and is due again in court docket on August 13.
This devastating case has reignited debate within the U.S. over the nation’s dealing with of psychological well being emergencies, particularly in home conditions the place kids’s lives are at stake.
