YUBA COUNTY, Calif. — A Linda mother is accused of drowning her two young boys in their home, the Yuba County Sheriff's Office said Thursday afternoon.
The mother was identified as 25-year-old Courtney Williams, who was arrested on suspicion of homicide.
“The tragic loss of five-month-old Holden and his two-and-half-year old brother Ronin reverberates throughout our department and into the community,” Yuba County Sheriff Wendell Anderson said in a statement. “There are no words to adequately describe the sadness we feel for the family at this time.”
Deputies said the father called the Sheriff's office just before noon to report the drowning at his home on Sunshine Avenue in Linda.
Arriving deputies found the two children in the bathroom. Despite CPR and efforts to save them, the kids were pronounced dead at the scene.
Deputies said the father learned of the drowning after he came home for lunch and his wife told him that she "hurt the children." After searching the home, he found his boys in a bathtub.
The investigation is still in its early stages, but deputies said the drowning was done intentionally.
Video obtained by ABC10 shows Williams being arrested and handcuffed in pink sweatpants while barefoot.
"She was just no expression whatsoever, no tears, no nothing," said neighbor Charlene Smith.
Neighbors said the family had just moved to the area in the past couple of months and were extremely friendly but kept to themselves. They said they regret not seeing warning signs, such as the absence of children laughing.
Neighbor, Krista Taraha's son is only a day younger than Ronin. She's searching for ways to tell him why playdates with Ronin have come to an end.
"My son's probably going to ride his bike over there and sit by his yard every morning, yelling for him like he does everyday," she said.
"He didn't deserve to die. Neither one of them did."
Neighbor Heather Ronson said the image of little rainboots on the pavement is seared into her mind, and the only image she has of the little boy across the street is in her head.
"He's just a little tiny guy. He's got brown hair and a bright red little face, and his little boots on and out here riding his little bike. 'Hi, Hi, Hi! Over the fence, you know. That's the picture," she said.
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