A 32-year-old Pennsylvania woman faces serious charges after her 10-month-old daughter tragically drowned in a bathtub, allegedly while the mother fell asleep after drinking alcohol.
Sadie Marie Ressler, who turned 32 on the day she was taken into custody, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and two counts of endangering the welfare of children.
According to a criminal complaint, Pennsylvania State Police responded around 7:30 p.m. on August 14 to a home on Center Street in Wiconisco Township, roughly 30 miles northeast of Harrisburg. Ressler’s neighbor called 911 after she ran out of her home screaming for help. Troopers found the infant unresponsive and rushed her to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Investigators say Ressler was the sole caregiver for Jovanna Allen, 10 months old, and a 2-year-old child at the time. The affidavit states that she placed both children in a bathtub with several inches of water while she sat against a sink, scrolling on her phone. Jovanna, described as “underdeveloped” and unable to self-rescue, was later found floating face down. Ressler allegedly told police she “fell asleep” while the children were in the bath.
While Ressler denied using alcohol or drugs, authorities reportedly found an open bottle of Crown Royal Apple and burnt marijuana cigarettes in the home. The house was described as cluttered and unkempt, with several uninflated balloons posing a choking hazard for children. Blood drawn from Ressler at the hospital showed a blood alcohol content of 0.035, though police believe it was significantly higher at the time of the incident.
Detectives also discovered Google searches on her phone asking, “Can you tell how much alcohol I drank from a blood test?” and “How long does alcohol stay in the blood?”
In a second interview with detectives, Ressler allegedly admitted she had fallen asleep while the kids were in the bathtub, a negligent and reckless act that ultimately caused Jovanna’s death and endangered the 2-year-old.
Ressler is scheduled to appear in court next on Jan. 7.
Jovanna’s obituary described her as a joyful and determined little girl. “Being born premature, Jovanna overcame many obstacles and was thriving, just beginning to learn to crawl. Her beautiful blue eyes could light up any room,” it read.
I still day some women just want free ,oney so they produce