"I'm ashamed of myself:" Father who drowned his infant son sentenced to 38 years in prison
MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee father who drowned his newborn baby will spend decades behind bards. A judge sentenced 25-year-old Sean Flowers on Friday morning, February 3rd to 38 years in prison plus another 12 years of extended supervision.
Sean Flowers
Three-month-old Sean Flowers III drowned in a pond on N. 75th Street on Milwaukee’s far northwest side on July 30, 2016.
It was an emotional morning in court. At one point, the mother of the three-month-old infant even played audio of her other daughter crying for her father just to show the impact of all the lives now affected.
Marilyn Brown
"I'm ashamed of myself. I just want to say I'm deeply sorry," said Flowers.
Sean Flowers
Words of remorse came, but it's for an act Marilyn Brown cannot forgive.
"Out of all the things you did to me and everything I put up with, you had to take my baby? My only son." said the mother of the victim, Marilyn Brown. "Why would you do that to him? To me? To my kids?"
Sean Flowers III (PHOTO: GoFundMe.com)
Marilyn Brown
It was after a family part on July 30th, 2016 that Flowers became angry with Brown and grabbed their three-month-old child, Sean Flowers III. Despite family members begging for him to let the baby go. Flowers then waded into the water and drowned the infant.
"I have the memory of holding a dead child in my hand. You can't erase that," said Jobe Griffin, bystander who tried to save the child.
A bystander who tried to save the child made comments in court along with family members of Brown and Flowers.
Jobe Griffin
"Had a terrible moment in his life," said Flowers brother, Deandre.
"We want him to pay for what he did" said Griffin.
Marilyn Brown
Taking into consideration a history of substance abuse and domestic violence, Flowers was sentenced to decades behind bars.
Brown says she won't have closure and can only focus on navigating the future.
"I'm a strong woman so I am going to make it through," Brown said.
According to a criminal complaint, Flowers’ sister called 911 at 8:42 p.m. on that Saturday in July, to report that Flowers was “threatening to throw his three-month-old child…into the water.” When police arrived on the scene, they witnessed a large group of citizens at the water’s edge yelling, “He’s drowning the baby.”
Investigation into death of infant boy
Officers spotted two men in the water — one was a man who was trying to rescue the baby, the other was Flowers. It was about 8:55 p.m. when the complaint indicates Flowers “dropped Sean Flowers III into the water.” Flowers then swam deeper into the pond.
The complaint says Griffin told investigators Flowers stated: “Abraham killed his son, Isaac. Jesus will forgive me,” as Griffin searched the water for the baby.
Investigation into death of infant boy
The criminal complaint indicates one officer who jumped into the water was able to locate the body of the child. The boy was immediately brought back to shore where the officer began CPR. Milwaukee firefighters arrived on the scene a short time later. But despite all the efforts, the infant was pronounced deceased on the scene.
Sean Flowers
Officers continued to monitor Flowers in the water. The complaint says he “would go under water and then come back up.” He apparently did this approximately five times. But eventually, two officers were able to get hold of Flowers, keep him above water and get him back to shore. The complaint says during this time Flowers “said he was going to burn in hell for killing his son and the police would be blessed for saving him.”
The complaint indicates Flowers became combative with officers once they got to shore. Flowers had to be tased so the officers could put him in handcuffs.