Two Women Charged in Child Swimming Pool Drowning in Dearborn

Two Detroit residents were arraigned Thursday on charges of involuntary manslaughter and second-degree child abuse in connection with the drowning death of a 5-year-old male child at a hotel in Dearborn.

On Oct. 5, 2012, at approximately 9:40 p.m., Dearborn police officers were dispatched to the pool area of the former Hyatt Regency hotel in Dearborn to investigate the drowning of a deaf child at a birthday party hosted by Cheneka Gardner, 28, for her daughter.

Police believe that Gardner and Wilma Jean Gissantaner, 51, had been drinking alcohol and were sitting in the hot tub area while they were watching approximately 15 children and the 5-year-old in the pool. Just before the child was discovered, Gardner was in the  hot tub area.

According to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, Gissantaner was getting out of the hot tub to prepare the children to return to their hotel rooms when she observed the boy laying face down in the pool, not moving. Gissantaner jumped into the pool and pulled the boy out.

A doctor at the hotel performed CPR, but the child never regained consciousness. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Both defendants were arraigned today in the 19th District Court before Judge William Hultgren.

Involuntary manslaughter carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison, and second-degree child abuse carries a penalty of up to four years in prison.