Mother accused of drowning toddler in Sandy Springs pond waives court appearance
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. - A Georgia mother accused of drowning her 1-year-old daughter in a pond in Sandy Springs waived her first appearance before a judge Monday.
Police say Asia Calabrese-Lewis is facing charges of felony murder and cruelty to children over the death of her little girl.
The Sandy Springs Police Department responded to a 911 call Thursday night reporting a disturbance near the King and Queen Towers off Concourse Parkway, according to Sgt. Matt McGinnis.
When they arrived, officers located Calabrese-Lewis in the parking deck of 2 Concourse Parkway. Police say she was having some type of episode. When the child's father arrived, he asked where the baby was. At that time, the mother reportedly stated that the baby was deceased in a pool.
"They live in the area, the father showed up … found her there with us and asked where the child is. She responded with something like ‘She’s in the bottom of the pool.’ We don’t think it's an accidental at this time," McGinnis said.
Asia Calabrese-Lewis
VIDEO REPORTEDLY SHOWS MOTHER WALKING CHILD TOWARD POND IN SANDY SPRINGS
Police found 22-month-old Nirvana Oliver in the narrow retention pond.
"She was rushed immediately to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite right here in Sandy Springs," Sgt. McGinnis said
Despite attempts to save the young girl, she died at the hospital, police say.
Sandy Springs Police investigate after a one-year-old girl was pulled from a pond on May 11, 2023. (FOX 5)
An arrest warrant obtained by FOX 5 News indicates security cameras captured Calabrese-Lewis walking the child toward the pond. The family lives diagonally across the street at The Bishop Apartments.
The warrant says after Calabrese-Lewis walked little Nirvana Oliver into the pond, they were off-camera for 6 minutes. Then security cameras show the 24-year-old mother calmly walking back into the frame with no clothes on.
The Sandy Springs mother has been in custody at the Fulton County Jail since her arrest.
She is scheduled to make her first appearance before a judge Monday morning at 11:30.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.