Mother Charged With Drowning Baby And Stabbing, Police Said

Miami FL

09 September, 2021

7:59 AM

Description

A Miami Times Staff Report Sep 7, 2021 A mother of six accused of drowning her toddler during a bathtub "baptism" to avoid impeding COVID-19 death and stabbing two family members was officially charged in Miami-Dade Court on Saturday. Precious Bland, 38, stands accused of second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder and two counts of aggravated child abuse with bodily harm. She received no bond on the murder count, keeping her with Miami-Dade Corrections until her case reaches a resolution. Bland lived with her husband, Evan Bland, and their six children in a home close to Northwest 99th Street and NW 30th Avenue on August 23. According to the arrest form, police were called to the home on Aug. 23 just before 9 p.m. where they were met with Evan who had stab wounds to his head and neck. Evan told police his wife "was upset, stating that Jesus Christ is coming and COVID is going to kill us all" and that she insisted that everyone needed to be baptized in the bathtub immediately. The report said Precious then held her 15-month-old daughter underwater until she was unresponsive. Her husband said he tried to stop her, but she stabbed him and their 16-year-old daughter, who had been stabbed in the forearm. Evan said he ran out of the house with his five children and called the police. Arriving officers found Precious in the house with what appeared to be self-inflicted stab wounds. She was taken into custody and then to Jackson Memorial Hospital. On Sept. 1, police said Bland confessed to what she did during questioning. She was arrested the following day and turned over to Miami-Dade Corrections. Evan and his 16-year-old daughter were also rushed to Jackson Memorial's Ryder Trauma Center. They were treated for their injuries and have since been released. The toddler did not make it. The Miami Times is the largest Black-owned newspaper in the south serving Miami's Black community since 1923. The award-winning weekly is frequently recognized as the best Black newspaper in the country by the National Newspaper Publishers Association.