Mother of drowned child arrested

• Advocate Florida parishes bureau
• Published: Jun 18, 2009 - UPDATED: 2:45 p.m.

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HAMMOND — Tangipahoa Parish sheriff’s deputies arrested a woman on drug possession and child desertion counts Thursday after her daughter disappeared in the Tangipahoa River Wednesday evening, a sheriff’s spokeswoman said.

Kim Miller, 32, 43262 Robinson Road, Hammond, was arrested and booked early Thursday with possession of  the drug Xanax and child desertion, Dawn Panepinto, sheriff’s spokeswoman, said.

Miller, arrested about 3:50 a.m., remained in Tangipahoa Parish Prison in Amite by Thursday afternoon, jail officials said.

Divers with the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office recovered the 5-year-old’s body about 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Panepinto said. An autopsy to determine the child’s cause of death is planned Friday morning, Panepinto said.

Miller was with her three children on a shallow, 15-yard long sandbar at Carpenter’s Landing off Old Covington Highway east of Hammond, Panepinto said.

The sandbar has a steep drop-off and the three children apparently wandered into that area, Panepinto said.

Bystanders saw the children struggling in the water, some of them jumped into the water and two children were rescued. The 5-year-old could not be found, Panepinto said.

The Tangipahoa Sheriff’s Office, Hammond Fire Department and Acadian Ambulance were summoned to the scene about 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, but were unable to find the girl’s body by the time a search was halted about 10:30 p.m., Panepinto said.

St. John the Baptist Parish sheriff’s drivers and Louisiana Search and Rescue cadaver dogs were called to the scene Thursday, Panepinto said.

She said deputies are not aware of whether Miller was under the influence but an investigation was under way and a blood sample was taken from her.

Panepinto said Miller may face prosecution on additional criminal counts.