Mum 'left disabled foster child to drown in bathtub while she took phone call'

A mum has been arrested after her foster child tragically died in a bathtub while she was on a phone call.

Hailynn Volpatti, 25, faces charges of felony neglect of a dependent resulting in death following the drowning of 21-month-old Nova Bryant, who had special needs.

When first responders arrived at the Indiana home, they found the toddler with a pulse and managed to revive her before rushing her to hospital. Despite being transferred to Riley Hospital in Indianapolis for advanced care, little Nova couldn't be saved.

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Volpatti initially told police cops about leaving Nova in the bath with her two four-year-old sons to grab a drink. She claimed she came back to find Nova unresponsive, floating on her back.

She also mentioned that Nova "always puts her face down into the bathwater and takes a huge 'gulp' of water", suggesting this might've been what happened. However, two days later, according to WTWO, Volpatti arrived at the Clay County Sheriff's Office wanting to speak with an investigator, confessing she hadn't been "completely honest".

She admitted to putting the kids in the tub at 8.30 pm, before going upstairs for about five minutes to get pyjamas for Nova, and only realised something was wrong when one of her sons started shouting, reports the Mirror.

The woman's account shifted once more when she claimed to have been on a call with a friend from around 8.30pm to 10pm, admitting she left the victim "unattended for more than 30 minutes while she was on the phone in an upstairs bedroom."

It has emerged that Nova was a premature baby, born at just 32 weeks and struggling with numerous health issues including "chronic feeding disorder, emesis, gastronomy tube dependent, global developmental delay, history of gastroschisis, history of prematurity, moderate malnutrition, motility disorder of intestine, oropharyngeal dysphagia, short stature and spinal asymmetry."

After posting bond last Friday, Volpatti was released from Clay County Jail. She entered a plea of not guilty at her first court appearance on Friday.

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