Affidavit reveals new details about the death of twins

ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – One-year-old twins drowned in a bathtub Wednesday and their caregiver, 34-year-old Joan Marie Reyes de Jesus, has been charged with two counts of injury to a child, a first-degree felony, in connection with their death. Now an affidavit has revealed new details about the tragedy.

According to an affidavit, Odessa Police Department investigators responded to a home in the 800 block of Humble Avenue on Oct. 16 after twin girls were found unresponsive in the tub; Emergency medical personnel also arrived on scene and performed CPR on the twins as they were taken to Medical Center Hospital, but both girls were pronounced dead on arrival.

Investigators said de Jesus was hired by the family to care for the girls while their parents, who work nights, slept during the day. The twins, whose names have been redacted by Big 2 News out of respect for the family, celebrated their first birthday just two days before they died.

While their parents slept, investigators said de Jesus placed the girls in the bathtub, left the water running and then left them alone in the room while she watched TV. At one point, while the girls were bathing, de Jesus fell asleep and she only woke up when another member of the family, who had been sleeping after working overnight, woke up to find the house covered in water stood. OPD said the family member went looking for the water source and found the babies unconscious and floating in the tub.

OPD said the investigation into the incident is ongoing and more charges could be levied against the nanny in the future. For now, De Jesus remained in the Ector County Law Enforcement Center on two counts of injury to a child and a Lubbock charge of forgery of a financial instrument, a state jail felony. Her bond has been set at a total of $1,000,000.

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