A Florida judge found Precious Bland, 43, not guilty by reason of insanity on Tuesday for the 2021 bathtub drowning death of her infant daughter. The judge determined that Bland was suffering from a psychotic break when the incident occurred.
Bland had faced charges including second-degree murder and aggravated child abuse. Her defense team argued that she drowned her child, stabbed her husband, and injured her other daughter while under the influence of delusions, which they attributed to a severe reaction to COVID-19. Prosecutors contended that Bland killed her baby because she believed her husband was having an affair.
Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Miguel de la O ultimately sided with the defense, stating, "There is zero credible explanation other than her psychotic state." The court heard that on August 23, 2021, Bland began exhibiting delusional behavior, making statements such as "Jesus Christ is coming" and "Covid is going to kill us all." She told her family that everyone needed to be baptized, intending to perform baptisms in their bathtub.
During the incident, Bland held her infant daughter, Emii, underwater until she became unresponsive. She also instructed her older daughter to retrieve a knife, which she then used to stab her husband, Evan. The older daughter also sustained a stab wound while attempting to intervene. Evan Bland managed to gather the other children and escape the home to call for emergency services.
Emii was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead. A medical examiner ruled the cause of death as homicidal drowning.
Disturbing body camera footage played in court showed Bland making statements about God and Satan to responding officers. Bland's attorney, Larry Handfield, argued that his client was experiencing hallucinations and suffering from a mental defect. Expert witnesses supported the defense's conclusion that Bland's actions stemmed from psychosis.
Prosecuting attorney Elizabeth Utset argued that Bland was aware of her actions and that the COVID-19 defense was unsubstantiated, stating, "Covid is not the issue in this case. There will be no clear and convincing evidence that Covid made this defendant drown her 1-year-old daughter." The prosecution suggested that Bland had verbalized that the baby needed to stop breathing while holding her down.
Handfield presented evidence of Bland's unusual behavior leading up to the incident, including calls to family members and neighbors warning about the COVID-19 vaccine, which she called "the mark of the devil." He also stated that Bland had been hearing voices commanding her to harm her family.
Evan Bland testified that his wife's behavior on the day of the incident was uncharacteristic, telling the judge, "I'm a victim. My family is a victim. And yeah, I mean Precious is a victim in this as well." He added that the killing was inconsistent with the person his wife was, and that family members reported she loved being a mother.
Bland's attorney highlighted that she is a Navy veteran who served in Iraq and was part of former President George W. Bush's security detail. He called the verdict a "glorious day" for his client, emphasizing that her actions were the result of a medical crisis brought on by COVID-19.
Following the verdict, Bland expressed her love for her children and her desire to rebuild her life. A hearing is scheduled for Friday to determine the terms of her release, with the judge indicating that commitment to a mental institution may not be necessary. Bland had been held in jail for four years before being placed on house arrest while awaiting trial.