LAKEWAY, Texas — A Lakeway woman is facing charges in connection with the 2023 death of her “soon-to-have-been-adopted” daughter, police said Friday.
According to the Lakeway Police Department, on Nov. 1, 2023, officers responded to a report of a drowning at a home on Sunrise Ridge Cove. Chelsye Reagan Witcher reported that the 6-year-old girl was found face-down and seizing in the bathtub. The girl was airlifted to Dell Children’s Medical Center, but she died on Nov. 2.
Police said an extensive investigation that spanned months revealed that Witcher’s actions directly contributed to the child’s death. They say further investigation determined that Witcher tried to conceal “critical evidence” during the incident.
On Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, Witcher was arrested in Austin. She is being held in the Travis County Jail on charges of Injury to a Child, a first-degree felony, and Tampering with or Fabricating Physical Evidence, a third-degree felony.
Lakeway police said they continue to work closely with the Travis County District Attorney’s Office as Witcher’s case moves forward. The police department will not be providing any additional information because the investigation is ongoing.