Couple charged in toddler’s swimming pool death

The Buford couple charged in the drowning death of a 2-year-old boy under their care will have a first appearance at 9 a.m. Saturday in Gwinnett Magistrate Court in Lawrenceville.

Tanya Sheri Moon, 34, the baby sitter, and her husband, Shawn Moon, 36, remain in jail without bond, charged with two counts of cruelty to children in the second degree and a single count of reckless conduct following the death Thursday afternoon of Abiola Bankolemoh, police said.

Gwinnett County

Tanya Sheri Moon

Gwinnett County

Shawn Moon

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Police said Tanya Moon was watching three children who were not hers at a home in the 3700 block of Bradford Walk Trail.

Abiola was missing for about five minutes before the sitter was told by one of the other children that he had fallen into a backyard swimming pool, said Gwinnett police spokesman Cpl. David Schiralli.

Tanya Moon jumped into the pool and found the child at the bottom, police said. She pulled him out and began cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Paramedics arrived and continued CPR while they transported the child to Gwinnett Medical Center.

The toddler was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital, Schiralli said.

Investigators found evidence of neglect in the care of children, police said.

The Moons’ five biological children were staying with relatives until the Department of Family and Children Services completes its investigation, police said.

Neither the Moons nor their residence was on file with the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, the agency that licenses day care operations.

In order to be a licensed day care provider in Georgia, a person must be 18 years old with a high school diploma or GED, undergo a national fingerprint and background check, have completed 20 hours of training, including CPR, first aid and a child development or related course.