North Lauderdale Mother Investigated For Child Neglect After Sons Drowned

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) - The mother of two boys who drowned in a North Lauderdale pool last month is being investigated for manslaughter and child neglect.

CBS4 News obtained court documents that show Broward Sheriff's detectives are investigating Wildline Joseph in the death of her two sons.

Five-year-old Branario Joseph and six-year-old Ja'kye Joseph were found face down in a pool at their apartment complex at 1200 SW 50th Avenue on May 22nd. Joseph said she pulled one of her children from the water while the children's father attempted life-saving CPR on the other, but was unsuccessful.

At the time, Joseph said the last she knew her boys were playing outside and the pool was locked. She said they must have jumped the gate. She added that Ja'kye was learning to swim and thought he could do it. She thinks Branario must have jumped in to save his brother.

At the time the boys were outside, Joseph said she was sleeping.

According to the sheriff's office search warrant, detectives seized have seized Joseph's iPhone to look for text messages and other media on the device.

No arrests have been made and the investigation into the deaths of the children is ongoing.

The Broward Sheriff's Office says child welfare workers removed two other children — a 1-year-old and a 4-month-old — belonging to the mother of the dead boys. They are in state custody.

The Department of Children and Families told CBS4 they do have a history with the family but would not elaborate on what that history entails.