Parents charged in June 2021 swimming pool drowning deaths of brother and sister

The parents of a 2 and 4-year-old brother and sister who drowned in a Far East Side pool in June 2021 now face criminal charges in their deaths.

Patricia Davis, 39, and Kenneth Deer, 46, each facing two charges of involuntary manslaughter and two charges of endangering children, according to indictments filed Friday in Franklin County Common Pleas Court.

Prince Dear, 2, and Victory Dear, 4, died on June 4, 2021 in a pool in the backyard of their parents' home on the 1900 block of Walnut Hill Park Drive. Autopsy reports from the Franklin County Coroner's office found they both died as a result of drowning.

Neither Davis or Deer have court dates scheduled or attorneys listed in their court files. Warrants have been issued for their arrests, according to court records.

Davis' most recent address is listed in Canton and Deer is listed as living in California, according to court records

According to the indictments filed in the case, Davis and Dear are accused of creating an environment where there was "substantial risk" to a child's health or safety.

A Columbus police lieutenant told The Dispatch at the time that the pool was mostly rain water, leaves and algae, calling it "muck."

The pool was only partially full at the time of the drownings and detectives said at the time it was unclear how long the children had been missing before being found in the water.

A neighbor told The Dispatch the pool hadn't been properly maintained for at least six years before the drownings.

Police had interviewed Davis at the time of the children's deaths, however, no charges were filed until Friday in the case.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Parents charged in June 2021 swimming pool drowning deaths of brother and sister