KNOXVILLE, Tennessee — A 33-year-old Knoxville mom accused of leaving her infant son alone in a bathtub to drown was arraigned Monday morning in Knox County Criminal Court.
Lindsee Leonardo, of Boyd Station Road, faces indictment on charges of aggravated child neglect, felony murder and child endangerment.
Judge Scott Green appointed attorney Susan Shipley to represent her.
Leonardo's next court date is Nov. 6. She's being held in the Knox County Detention Facility in lieu of $350,000 bond.
Shipley argues the death was unintentional and not a murder case.
The 11-month-old named Aiden drowned in January during bath time at home.
Knox County Sheriff's Office authorities say Leonardo had the boy and her toddler girl in the tub when she stepped away to take some "me time."
A detective testified in February that Leonardo reported smoking a cigarette and listening to a couple songs when she stepped away from the child. The boy was found unresponsive; authorities were able to restore a pulse, but he died later at East Tennessee Children's Hospital.
The children's father, David Brandon Dillingham, told 10News the child's death was an accident and that he didn't blame the mother for it. The couple had had legal disputes in the past.