On March 2, 2023, four-year-old Kash Waylen Hodges drowned in a retention pond behind a shopping plaza at 6200 NW 26th Street in Gainesville, Florida. The child lived with his parents, Gabriel Waylen Hodges and Taychianna Dazja Figueroa, in the back room of a pet grooming salon where Figueroa worked. At approximately 4:23 p.m., Figueroa left to get food, leaving the child asleep with his father and failing to lock the front door despite having a key. Surveillance footage showed the child walking out the unlocked door approximately 15 minutes later, wandering behind the shopping plaza, and then running toward and falling into the retention pond about 10 minutes after that. The child's body was found at 5:27 p.m. by another business owner. Investigation revealed that the father was impaired by drug use — testing positive for methamphetamine — and had a history of drug addiction since his teenage years. Both parents were charged with negligent manslaughter of a child.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
The article explicitly states that the child drowned: "The parents of a 4-year-old who drowned in a retention pond in March have been charged with negligent manslaughter." The article also describes surveillance footage showing "the child can be seen running toward the retention pond and falling into the pond."
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
The article explicitly describes inappropriate supervision. The mother left the child with the father, who was asleep and impaired by drug use, and did not lock the door: "Figueroa left the business through the front door and reportedly did not lock the door behind her despite having a key to that door." The father, who tested positive for methamphetamine and appeared impaired, failed to supervise the child, who wandered out the unlocked door, through the shopping plaza, and into the retention pond where he drowned. Investigators concluded: "The negligence of both [Hodges] and [Figueroa] led to the death of [the child]."
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
The child wandered outdoors unsupervised behind a shopping plaza and fell into a retention pond. The news article states: "the child walking out of the same unlocked door, 15 minutes later. The cameras show the child wandering around the back of the shopping plaza; about 10 minutes later, the child can be seen running toward the retention pond and falling into the pond."
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Gabriel Waylen Hodges is identified as the child's father. The article states the parents "lived with Kash in the back room of a pet grooming salon" and that Hodges was asleep (impaired by drug use) when the child wandered out unsupervised and drowned. He was charged with negligent manslaughter: "Both parents have been charged via sworn complaint with negligent manslaughter of a child."
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Taychianna Dazja Figueroa is identified as the child's mother. She left the child with his impaired father and did not lock the door. She was charged with negligent manslaughter. Investigators concluded: "The negligence of both [Hodges] and [Figueroa] led to the death of [the child]."
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
The article states: "Both parents have been charged via sworn complaint with negligent manslaughter of a child." Gabriel Waylen Hodges (28) and Taychianna Dazja Figueroa (27) were both charged.
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
The article states the family "lived in the back room of a pet grooming salon where Figueroa worked." This is a non-residential commercial space used as living quarters, suggesting the family was effectively without a proper home, a situation akin to homelessness.
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Extensive substance use by the father is documented. The article states: "officers reportedly found a baggie containing a white crystalline powdery substance that tested positive for methamphetamine, along with marijuana and various drug paraphernalia on a table." The father "has been addicted to 'downers' since he was a teenager" and "Hodges appeared to be impaired during the interaction, with glassy eyes and slow movements and speech." His blood and urine "were positive for methamphetamine." The business owner also stated "she believed Hodges was abusing drugs."
Notable Details
Several notable details not addressed by other questions are present. First, the parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the pet grooming business owner and others associated with the shopping plaza, alleging that lack of automatic door locks and a fence around the retention pond "directly and proximately" led to the child's drowning — even as both parents were themselves charged with negligent manslaughter for the same death. The mother, Figueroa, was appointed by the court as personal representative for her son's estate for the purpose of collecting any funds awarded in the lawsuit. Additionally, the family was living in the back room of a commercial pet grooming business, not a residential space. Separate theft-related charges were also filed against Figueroa by the business owner after the drowning incident, two of which were dropped and one remains pending, adding layers of conflicting interests between the parties involved.
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