Molly Krebs (Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office and WCPO screenshot) and Jayden Krebs (Legacy.com)
A 28-year-old mother in Ohio who was previously permitted to attend her 3-year-old son’s funeral despite being charged in his death has admitted to her role in the child’s untimely demise last year. Molly Krebs on Wednesday appeared in Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas where she pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter in the 2022 death of young Jayden Krebs, court records reviewed by Law&Crime show.
Krebs initially pleaded not guilty to charges of involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment in December 2022. In exchange for pleading to the manslaughter charge, prosecutors with the Hamilton County District Attorney’s Office agreed to drop the child endangerment charge.
According to a press release from the Cincinnati Police Department, CPD officers at about 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, responded to an emergency call at a residence located in the 800 block of Ridgeway Avenue in Avondale. Upon arriving at the residence, first responders located the child — later identified as Jayden — and immediately transported him to the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Unfortunately, the boy was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the facility.
Krebs was taken into custody a short while later by officers with the CPD Homicide Unit and agents from the Fugitive Apprehension Squad.
Police wrote that Krebs admitted to leaving the child in the bathtub unattended for “a long period of time,” according to a copy of the probable cause affidavit obtained by Cincinnati ABC affiliate WCPO.
In an interview with police, Krebs said that she had worked all day for a painting and contracting company and at some point that evening, Jayden had an allergic reaction to something. She then gave him a dose of Benadryl to treat the allergic reaction and ran a bath. It was not immediately clear what kind of allergic reaction Jayden had at the time.
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After putting Jayden in the bathtub, Krebs reportedly said that she walked away from the bathroom and fell asleep. Authorities said she did not check on her son in the bathtub for at least 90 minutes, according to a report from Newport, Kentucky, Fox affiliate WXIX-TV. When she awoke and went to check on the boy she found him still in the tub, “laying, partially submerged and unresponsive.” She then called 911.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under the age of 6 not be given Benadryl unless specifically directed by a doctor, specifically noting that the active ingredient in the medicine, diphenhydramine, tends to make children very drowsy.
During her initial appearance in court, Krebs’ attorney Jeffrey Adams said the entire ordeal was just a “devastating case” and that Jayden’s death was “completely accidental,” per courtroom video obtained by WCPO. He said that his client — who was visibly distraught and could barely speak during the proceeding — “dozed off” after a long day of work with tragic results.
“You can see her devastation,” Adams said.
Krebs has been in detention since her arrest but was granted permission by a Hamilton County judge to attend Jayden’s funeral on Dec. 19, 2022. She is scheduled to appear for her sentencing hearing on Sept. 26, records show.
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