A mother accused of drowning her 14-month-old son in Lake Michigan during a mental health crisis will remain jailed while she awaits trial.
Surah Amon, 31, appeared before a Cook County judge Tuesday, charged with first-degree murder.
About 9:45 p.m. Friday, Amon allegedly took her son to South Shore beach, where she attempted to harm herself, then walked into the water and “let go” of the infant, according to prosecutors.
“She’s the person who’s supposed to protect this child … and she is the one who killed him,” Assistant State’s Attorney Todd Kleist said Tuesday. “If she’s capable of doing this to a helpless and innocent child, then she is also a danger to anyone else she comes into contact with.”
Judge Susana Ortiz ultimately agreed with the state’s claim, finding Amon is a risk to both herself and the community, as she is currently undergoing “a serious mental health crisis.”
Family members left the courtroom in tears as prosecutors recounted the details of the boy’s death.
Before the incident, Amon was living with the child’s father and paternal grandmother, but there were ongoing issues at home, according to prosecutors. The grandmother had called police to the house multiple times to have Amon removed, following arguments between them.
On July 11, the grandmother was granted an order of protection against Amon, but it was “not immediately served,” so she allowed her to continue living at the home, according to prosecutors.
On Thursday, Amon allegedly struck the child’s father, and responding officers served the grandmother’s order, prosecutors said. Amon was not able to find immediate housing, so the grandmother allowed her to stay for one more night.
The next day, another relative also called 911 that afternoon and reported that Amon was “having mental health issues,” according to prosecutors.
That evening, the grandmother returned from work to find Amon still at the home. The grandmother called 911 twice, but by the time officers arrived, Amon had left for the beach, prosecutors said.
About an hour later, beachgoers called 911 to report a woman in “deeper water,” yelling out that she’d killed her son and wanted to die, prosecutors said. A Chicago Fire Department helicopter found the boy, but by the time first responders got him to shore, there were no signs of life, prosecutors said.
He was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Amon has no criminal history, according to her attorneys. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 13.