A Stuart woman has been arrested in connection with the drowning death of a two-year-old child last month.
The Stuart Police Department announced the arrest of 30-year-old Gifty Gilman of Stuart on Wednesday evening in the 500 block of Max Drive. Gilman was taken into custody on an arrest warrant charging her with Child Endangerment Resulting in Death.
According to authorities, the charge stems from an investigation into the drowning of a two-year-old child who was found unresponsive in a pond near the Union Estates housing development on May 27, 2026.
Emergency responders transported the child to Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines for treatment. Despite extensive medical efforts, the child died on June 4.
Court records indicate investigators determined Gilman was the only adult residing at the home and had left the residence for several hours while six minor children remained there without adult supervision. Authorities allege the child was not discovered missing until after Gilman returned home. Investigators noted the exact amount of time the child was away from the residence remains unknown.
The investigation further revealed that on May 26, one day before the drowning, the child reportedly climbed out of a bedroom window and was later found in a field near the same pond where the child was discovered the following day. Police say Gilman was aware of that incident.
According to investigators, the child again exited the residence through the same bedroom window on May 27 while Gilman was away from the home. The child allegedly traveled unsupervised to the pond, where the child was later found unresponsive in the water.
Authorities also reported that the Stuart Police Department had previously made multiple referrals to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services regarding reports of young children leaving the residence through windows and wandering the neighborhood without supervision. Officers had reportedly spoken directly with Gilman concerning those incidents.
Police state there is probable cause to believe Gilman knowingly acted in a manner that created a substantial risk to the child’s physical health and safety. Investigators further allege she willfully deprived the child of supervision appropriate for the child’s age by leaving the residence despite having prior knowledge of the child’s previous escape through the bedroom window and the child’s presence near the pond the day before the drowning.
The investigation remains active and is being conducted by the Stuart Police Department.
