‘Jesus Is Coming’: Florida Mother Who Drowned Baby Found Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity
A Florida judge has found 43-year-old Precious Bland not guilty by reason of insanity in the 2021 drowning death of her 15-month-old daughter after accepting the defense's argument that she was experiencing a psychotic episode linked to COVID-19.
A Florida judge has found 43-year-old Precious Bland not guilty by reason of insanity in the 2021 drowning death of her 15-month-old daughter after accepting the defense's argument that she was experiencing a psychotic episode linked to COVID-19.
Judge Miguel de la O ruled that Bland did not understand the nature of her actions during the incident at her Miami-Dade County home. She was also acquitted on charges of attempted murder related to the stabbing of her husband and 16-year-old daughter, both of whom survived.
Precious Bland Found Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity in Baby Daughter's Drowning Case
Mother who drowned her baby daughter and then blamed it on COVID, found not guilty by reason of insanity.
43-year-old Precious Bland said she drowned her baby in a bathtub due to a "psychotic episode" caused by COVID-19.
Bland accused COVID of causing her to "baptize" her… pic.twitter.com/CFXtdZf5NY
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 25, 2026
According to investigators, Bland drowned her baby in a bathtub while believing she was baptizing her family because "Jesus Christ is coming" and COVID-19 would kill them. Authorities said she then stabbed her husband and teenage daughter before attempting to take her own life. Four other children inside the home were not physically harmed. US Shocker: Woman Kills Man With Metal Hammer in Florida, Leaves 'PEDO Touches Children' Note on Victim's Body; Arrested.
Bland's attorney argued that she suffered from COVID-19-induced psychosis, citing medical experts who concluded the virus triggered a severe mental disorder. Prosecutors challenged that claim, arguing the psychosis was not genuine, but the court ultimately accepted the insanity defense. US Shocker: Woman Kills Foster Son by Sitting on Him After He Warned To Report Abuse in Indiana, Gets 6-Year Jail Term.
Speaking after the ruling, Bland said she remains devastated by the loss of her daughter and is undergoing therapy while working toward reunification with her family. Legal experts say the case is among the first in the United States in which a COVID-19-related psychosis defense has resulted in a not guilty by reason of insanity verdict in a murder trial.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 26, 2026 07:32 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
