Texas Ranger: Drowned child's dad admitted he shouldn't have left her alone
An 8-month-old child was left unattended in a bathtub long enough for water to overflow onto the floor, flood the air vent in the bathroom floor and saturate nearby rugs — while her father played video games and talked to a friend online, according to allegations in a Texas Ranger's complaint.
Justin Ray Kidwell, 20, was charged with murder and was being held Tuesday in the Wichita County Detention Center on a $500,000 bond, according to online jail records.
He is suspected of killing 8-month-old Lexus Sky Cora Kidwell, who drowned in a bathtub May 14 in a Burkburnett home. Anyone accused of a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
What does the Texas Ranger's report say?
The only adult at home at the time of the child's death, Justin told investigators that he put Lexus in the bathtub about 11 p.m., according to allegations in the Texas Ranger's complaint.
Justin left her alone and walked to the opposite side of the home to get his bluetooth headset to talk to a friend on Discord, a social platform, according to allegations.
The water was running while the child was unattended in the bathtub, according to allegations. At the home and during an interview with law enforcement, Justin made several statements and gave a range of 30 seconds to five minutes that Lexus was left alone.
Asked during the interview if he should have left the child unattended, Justin said, "No," according to allegations.
Playing Apex Legends
Analysis of his computer shows the last Windows timeline activity for Discord was 10:53 p.m., according to allegations. A 911 emergency call was made about 11:22 p.m. after Justin found the child face down in the water while the faucet ran full blast.
The friend he was talking to on Discord made the 911 call, according to allegations. The investigation discovered Justin was playing Apex Legends, a videogame, while communicating with his friend on Discord.
Burkburnett police and firefighters responded to a call about an unresponsive infant in the 200 block of Avenue B, according to allegations in a Burkburnett police media release. The child was deceased after being taken from a bathtub.
In the complaint to lay out evidence for Justin's arrest, the Texas Ranger alleges the child's death was caused while Justin was in the course of committing a felony — abandoning or endangering a child.
If convicted, he faces up to life in prison.
Earlier case involving Justin Kidwell
Justin is also serving three years of probation in connection with an Aug. 7, 2021, incident involving a child who ate a THC gummy. He was not related to the child.
Justin pleaded guilty to child abandonment or endangerment Dec. 8, 2022, in 89th District Court as part of a plea bargain.
The Wichita County District Attorney's Office has been seeking since last year to get his probation revoked for alleged violations and for him to be convicted of the offense.
More: Jury finds Tajmon Robinson guilty of capital murder
More: Crackdown coming at Wichita Falls High School in response to residents' complaints
Trish Choate, enterprise watchdog reporter for the Times Record News, covers education, courts, breaking news and more. Contact Trish with news tips at tchoate@gannett.com. Read her recent work here. Her X handle is @Trishapedia.
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Texas Ranger: Drowned child's dad left water running full blast
