Dad claims his toddler ‘drowned’ himself when he ‘dozed off’ on the couch

August 10, 2024 Gloria Shaw

A dad from Georgia is now behind bars after his toddler son tragically drowned in a bathtub last week, leading to serious criminal charges.

According to Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, 47-year-old Kenton Hamilton is now facing charges of second-degree murder, second-degree cruelty to children, illegal firearm possession as a convicted felon and felony cocaine possession.

The arrest took place the morning after his son was found dead. The incident occurred on the night of August 1 at a residence in Kennesaw, a suburb located northwest of Atlanta.

Kennesaw Police Department officers responded to a 911 call about an unresponsive child at a home on Windsor Court. Emergency medical teams arrived shortly before 9 p.m. and attempted to save the 17-month-old boy’s life, but their efforts were unsuccessful. The child was transported to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Following the child’s death, investigators conducted follow-up inquiries at both the home and the hospital, according to court documents.

Hamilton told police that he had “dozed off” on the couch with his son asleep on his chest and wasn’t aware when the child left his side. He claimed he woke up only when a friend came by and roused him. After they found the boy, they decided to call 911.

Hamilton later informed investigators that his toddler son had “climbed two flights of stairs, entered the bathtub, turned on the water and drowned,” according to an arrest warrant.

The authorities have confirmed that the deceased child was Hamilton’s son. Another child, a 4-year-old, was also asleep on the couch during the incident, according to police.

A search of the residence led officers to find two bags of cocaine hidden under the couch cushions where Hamilton and the children had been resting.

Additionally, several firearms were discovered in the home. Given his status as a convicted felon, Hamilton is prohibited from possessing firearms, as per Cobb County court records.

Hamilton’s criminal record includes a statutory rape conviction from 1995, and Cobb County records show he has faced several other charges over the years, including a family violence conviction in 2021.