A mother from Michigan has pleaded no contest to charges related to the drowning of her infant daughter in their bathtub while she was on the phone for 20 minutes.Olivia Miller, 23, entered her plea on Monday for involuntary manslaughter in the death of her 8-month-old son, Asher Johnson. As part of her plea agreement, she faces a potential sentence of up to one year in prison.
On November 22, 2023, police responded to a call to Miller’s home in Grand Rapids, Michigan, at approximately 3:38 p.m. During the call, she informed the 911 dispatcher that her son had drowned in the bathtub. When emergency responders arrived at the scene on 16 Mile Road Northwest, they found the child lying face up on the floor and immediately began performing life-saving measures. He was later taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Miller told police that she had placed her son in the bathroom with the water running and only a few inches of water in the tub before stepping into another room to change the laundry. She claimed to have returned five minutes later to find her son floating face up in the water with his mouth and nose submerged. Although she attempted to revive him, authorities arrived shortly afterward. Police noted that her account of the events changed over time.
“Throughout the investigation, Olivia (Miller) provided inconsistent accounts of what happened leading up to Asher’s death,” deputies indicated in a probable cause affidavit.
Cellphone records contradicted her statements, revealing that she had been using her phone for various activities at 3:17 p.m., only taking a single 18-second break before calling 911 21 minutes later.
After contacting emergency services, she reportedly called Asher’s paternal grandmother to inform her that the child had drowned. According to the chief medical examiner’s autopsy, the cause of Asher’s death was determined to be drowning. The examination also indicated that the infant had been lying on his back on the floor for an estimated 20 minutes prior to the arrival of medical personnel.
Miller’s attorney stated that there was “no indication of intentionality” in Miller’s actions. “This is a tragic situation,” he remarked. “She has suffered greatly emotionally from the loss of her child — she loves that child,” said Miller’s attorney, Frank Stanley.
Miller is set to be sentenced in November.
