A Florida woman accused of killing her toddler and stabbing two family members during what her defense described as a COVID-19-fueled mental health crisis has been acquitted of all criminal charges.
Precious Bland, who acknowledged drowning her 15-month-old daughter in a bathtub and then attacking her husband and teenage daughter with a knife in August 2021, was in the midst of a psychotic episode brought on by COVID-19, her attorneys argued during a two-day bench trial in Miami-Dade County this week.
Defense attorney Larry Handfield told NBC Miami that Bland, a mother of six, was experiencing command hallucinations and believed voices were instructing her to baptize relatives who had also contracted the respiratory virus.
According to the outlet, Bland allegedly told her family, “Jesus Christ is coming and COVID is going to kill us all,” while insisting that everyone needed to be baptized before she acted on that belief.
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Soon afterward, prosecutors said, Bland held the baby underwater until the child became unresponsive.
When her husband attempted to stop her, Bland stabbed him and their 16-year-old daughter as terrified relatives tried to escape, according to an arrest report cited by NBC Miami.
Judge Miguel de la O found Bland not guilty by reason of insanity on one count of aggravated manslaughter and two counts of first-degree attempted murder.
Bland broke down in tears as the ruling was announced and later, outside the courtroom following Tuesday’s hearing, expressed love for her children, CBS News reported.
“God is good. This doesn’t bring back my daughter,” the 43-year-old said. “I’m thankful. I love my children.”
