Kansas City woman who admitted to drowning her son in 2017 sentenced to life in prison

A Kansas City woman who admitted to drowning of her 8-year-old son and the attempted smothering of her younger son inside her Platte County home four years ago was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison, according to prosecutors.

In August, Aushena Warren, 34, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and first-degree assault in the death of her 8-year-old son, Audrick Warren, who was found on June 13, 2017 lying unresponsive in a bathtub full of water at the residence in the 5800 block of North London Avenue. Paramedics declared the boy dead.

Warren had earlier tried to smother her six-year-old son to death while he was laying in bed, Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd said in a news release.

Warren’s husband was at work when the crimes occurred. He received a FaceTime call from his six-year-old son and rushed home. Warren was not there, but he found his oldest son unresponsive in the bathtub.

An autopsy report concluded that Audrick had a bruise on the top of his skull and that he died from drowning. Prosecutors said Aushena Warren did not call 911, try to contact authorities or seek medical help after Audrick apparently drowned.

Investigators later found that Aushena Warren had made internet searches with phrases including “how long does it take to drown,” “how long does it take to suffocate someone” and “missouri women prison.”

Aushena Warren jumped off the Kit Bond Bridge in an apparent suicide attempt the morning of the killing. She was rescued by Kansas City Fire Department members who happened to be conducting training at the time.

“Like almost every eight-year-old boy, this murder victim had a lifetime of potential in front of him. It is unbelievably tragic that he did not live to grow into that potential,” Zahnd said. “We can only hope that his surviving little brother will continue to heal from the trauma visited on him and live out his own life of great potential.”