by An Illinois mother accused of drowning her baby boy in Lake Michigan during a mental health spiral has been held without bail as she awaits trial for first–degree murder.
Surah Amon, 31, allegedly walked into the water with her 14–month–old son Sir Watson last Friday night at South Shore Beach in Chicago and ‘let go’ of him before screaming to bystanders that she’d killed her baby and wanted to die.
The child was pulled from the lake by the Chicago Fire Department’s Marine Unit and rushed to Comer Children’s Hospital, but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Authorities say the tragedy unfolded just hours after Amon was dumped by her boyfriend and kicked out of the home she shared with the boy’s father and grandmother, following a violent confrontation that ended with police serving her with an order of protection.
Prosecutors revealed during Tuesday’s bond hearing that Amon had a history of clashes with the paternal grandmother, who had repeatedly called police to have her removed from the house.
On July 11, the grandmother was granted an order of protection – but allowed Amon to stay anyway when it wasn’t immediately enforced.
That changed on Thursday, July 17, when Amon allegedly struck the woman, prompting police to serve the order. But with nowhere to go, Amon was permitted to stay one more night.
On Friday afternoon, another relative called 911 to report Amon was ‘having mental health issues.’
Surah Amon, 31, allegedly walked into the water with her 14–month–old son Sir Watson last Friday night at South Shore Beach in Chicago and ‘let go’ of him before screaming to bystanders that she’d killed her baby and wanted to die
The child was pulled from the lake by the Chicago Fire Department’s Marine Unit and rushed to Comer Children’s Hospital, but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival
Later that evening, the grandmother returned home from work and found her still there.
She phoned police twice – but by the time officers arrived, Amon had vanished with the child.
Around 9:45 p.m., beachgoers at Chicago’s Yacht Harbor spotted Amon in deeper water screaming that she’d drowned her son. ‘I killed my son. I want to die,’ she allegedly yelled, according to police.
Sir Watson was found unresponsive in the water by a CFD helicopter team. First responders performed chest compressions, but to no avail.
Amon was pulled from the lake with cuts on her wrists and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center for minor injuries and a mental health evaluation.
She later confessed to police that she had killed her son after being ‘kicked out’ by the boy’s father, saying she had wanted to end her own life.
At Tuesday’s hearing, Assistant State’s Attorney Todd Kleist told the court: ‘She’s the person who’s supposed to protect this child… and she is the one who killed him. If she’s capable of doing this to a helpless and innocent child, then she is also a danger to anyone else she comes into contact with.’
Judge Suzanna Ortiz agreed to deny bail, ruling Amon posed a threat to herself and the community due to what she called a ‘serious mental health crisis.’
Amon was pulled from the lake with cuts on her wrists and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center for minor injuries and a mental health evaluation
Family members wept in the courtroom as prosecutors outlined the child’s final moments.
Amon’s sister, Claudia, told WLS that the family had desperately tried to intervene earlier in the day.
‘Three hours before this happened, me and my sister made a call to the police to have a mental health team come out,’ she said. ‘When the police showed up, they told us there was nothing they could do because my sister was not being violent.’
Amon remains in custody and is due back in court on August 13.
She has no prior criminal history.
