Shreveport, Louisiana (AP) —The Louisiana coroner’s office has announced the names of babies found dead in the lake after their mother threw him and his brother into the water.
The Cado Parish Coroners Office said in a news release Wednesday night that the child was identified as Joshua Black, a 10-month-old child. Police previously said he was eight months old.
The official cause of death based on the results of the autopsy was pending, John Andrew Prime, a spokesman for the coroner’s office, said in an email.
Baby’s mother, Ureka Black, has Joshua and his five-year-old brother Cross lake At Shreveport last Friday.
Her sisters, Felicia and Picoria Black, Told KSLA-TV They had long been worried about Black’s mental health, but she refused to offer treatment.
“Every time we tried to get her help, she refused,” said Felicia Black. “She felt like she had nothing wrong with her.”
Ureka Black was arrested on suspicion of two murders requiring life imprisonment and attempted two murders for at least 10 years and up to 50 years.
She is represented by the Cado Parish Public Advocacy Office. Her lawyer was in court when the Associated Press asked for comment on Thursday.
A yard crew working near the bridge warned authorities of the baby’s body, and Crosslake Margin Troll found an older child floating on his back. Reported by KTBS-TV. The rescue team initially thought he was dead, but tapped him and opened his eyes, the station reported.
Black’s sister told KSLA that the family tried a few weeks ago to take custody of Black’s children.
“We knew something went wrong with her, but I didn’t want to hurt her in a way that would take her child. We felt guilty that we should have done it. “Yes,” said Felicia Black.
They said the call to child protection services was futile because Ureka Black behaved normally. The sisters said she didn’t know she had a baby.
“It was the first time for my mom to see her grandson in a casket,” said Felicia Black.