Inset: Amaya Dixon (Richmond Police Department). Background: The area in Virginia where Dixon allegedly drowned her twin 17-month-old sons (Google Maps).
A 21-year-old mother in Virginia is facing charges in the tragic deaths of her twin 17-month-old sons, whom authorities allege were drowned deliberately in the bathtub last month.
Amaya Dixon was arrested on Thursday following a grand jury’s decision to indict her on two counts each of felony murder and child neglect, as revealed by court documents.
The charges arise from an extensive investigation into the heartbreaking incident where both toddlers were found lifeless in an apartment on the city’s south side, as confirmed by law enforcement officials.
Richmond Police Department officers responded to a distress call about two injured children at an apartment located in the 1000 block of German School Road at around 8:39 p.m. on April 17, according to a report from CBS affiliate WTVR.
Upon their arrival, first responders discovered the 17-month-old twins with what appeared to be drowning-related injuries sustained while they were in the bathtub.
The twins were immediately transported by emergency medical teams to a nearby hospital, but unfortunately, neither survived. One child was declared deceased that night, while his brother clung to life for several hours before passing away the next day, Augusta Free Press reported.
While detectives have not yet released a motive for the alleged killings, court records obtained by local ABC affiliate WRIC reveal that Dixon was already facing a slew of pending criminal charges in neighboring Chesterfield County at the time she allegedly killed her sons.
In December 2025, Dixon was charged with a series of financial and property crimes. Those charges include credit card theft, grand larceny, and criminally receiving goods or services through fraud. She was also accused of financially exploiting vulnerable adults and possessing stolen property with the intent to sell.
The Richmond Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit is handling the investigation into the twins’ deaths, which remains ongoing.
Authorities have not provided additional details regarding the circumstances leading up to the drowning or whether anyone else was in the residence at the time of the incident.
Police are urging anyone with information that may be relevant to the case to contact Major Crimes Detective J. Pittman at (804) 646-3869 or submit an anonymous tip through the P3 app or Crime Stoppers.
