Mother of Young Boy Suffocated in Bed in 2013 Accused of Murder

The mother of a 4-year-old boy, Antwan Hope Jr., who was suffocated in his bed in 2013 has been arrested on one count of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated child abuse in her son’s death, Coral Springs Police announced on August 26.

11 years ago, child advocate attorney Howard Talenfeld and his firm that fights for at-risk youth filed a wrongful death lawsuit based upon their independent autopsy as Florida officials investigated the young boy’s death. He died just weeks after being reunited with his mother for unsupervised overnight visits.

According to a recent article from the Sun-Sentinel, “Antwan’s father, Antwan Hope Sr., years ago argued in court that Simmons, who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and depression, never should have been allowed to be alone with their son that weekend.”

In 2011, he was removed from his mother for her allegedly trying to suffocate him and now his life ended in 2013 after an unsupervised visit with her.

It’s a horrific story – one tragically repeated throughout Florida’s childcare system. Read the entire Sun-Sentinel story here.