A Milwaukee mother accused of leaving her 1-year-old son unattended in a bathtub while she made breakfast is expected to enter a plea in his drowning death, according to court reports. Selena Doxzon, 28, appeared in a Milwaukee courtroom this week, where she and her defense attorney formally requested a plea and sentencing hearing, Law & Crime reported.
Doxzon was charged with one count of neglect of a child resulting in death following the May 2024 drowning of her son, Asher Doxzon. She previously entered a not guilty plea in June. According to the criminal complaint, Doxzon told investigators she had placed both of her young children in the bathtub that morning.
After bathing them, she left the room to prepare breakfast — specifically “pancakes and sausage” — while allowing the children to continue playing in the water. She reportedly spent several minutes in the kitchen cooking and then doing dishes. That’s when her three-year-old son entered the kitchen, soaking wet, prompting her to go get a towel.
Upon returning to the bathroom, Doxzon said she discovered her 1-year-old son floating face-up and unresponsive in the tub. An autopsy later confirmed the cause of death as “asphyxiation as a result of drowning.” A neighbor recalled hearing Doxzon’s panicked screams and saw her holding the lifeless child, whose skin had turned blue.
According to the police report, Doxzon called 911 but was “too upset to effectively communicate” with the dispatcher. Emergency responders arrived within minutes and performed CPR before transporting the toddler to the hospital. Despite continued lifesaving efforts, the child was pronounced dead at 9:45 a.m.
Following the incident, Doxzon was taken into custody and later released on a $10,000 bond. She has remained free while awaiting court proceedings. Under Wisconsin law, the charge of child neglect resulting in death carries a maximum sentence of up to 25 years in prison.
The upcoming plea and sentencing hearing is expected to provide more clarity on whether Doxzon will change her plea or accept a negotiated deal with prosecutors. No official plea agreement has been made public at this time. The tragedy has drawn widespread attention and serves as a grim reminder of the dangers of leaving young children unattended near water, even for short periods of time.