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‘She’s not well’: Mother arrested for drowning 7-month-old baby in bathtub, officers say
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) — A 23-year-old Florida woman accused of drowning her own baby in a bathtub appeared in court Thursday morning, facing charges of premeditated murder.
Tierra Scott-Franklin made her first court appearance after being arrested for the death of her 7-month-old daughter.
She was given no bond on the murder charge.
Gainesville police said they responded to Sweetwater Square Apartments on Northeast 15th Street on Wednesday afternoon after receiving a 911 call in which a woman reported she had drowned her baby.
Police found the 7-month-old girl unresponsive in a bathtub and arrested Scott-Franklin. The baby was taken to UF Health Shands Pediatrics Hospital, but did not survive.
City Commissioner Desmond Duncan-Walker said during the city commission meeting on Thursday morning that the case highlights a broader issue.
“You don’t do that if you’re healthy. Mental health. So, Mr. Mayor, I concur with you in finding ways that we can work with our colleagues across the street, that we can work with other institutions in this community to center mental health and making it more accessible to the people in this community,” Duncan-Walker said.
In the courtroom, activists spoke on Scott-Franklin’s behalf, calling for compassion and treatment.
“She did what she did, but we stand behind her. She is loved. She is valued. She is cared for. We’re asking that you please do what you do to help her to get the help she needs,” activist Saudia Bradley said.
Chanae Jackson, a local activist who also spoke on Scott-Franklin’s behalf in court, said others had reached out about her condition.
“Two others have reached out. She’s not well. She let people know she was not well and asked them to take the baby,” Jackson alleged.
Scott-Franklin was previously arrested in August 2025 for allegedly battering a 67-year-old victim. She faces charges of battery of a person 65 years or older and violation of probation in that case, in addition to the premeditated murder charge.
The judge said Thursday that Scott-Franklin will remain in custody without bond. She is to have no unsupervised contact with minors and is currently under constant supervision in the jail infirmary.