RICHMOND, Va. — A mother has been charged in the tragic drowning of her twin sons after a court hearing on Tuesday revealed discrepancies between her statements and surveillance footage from their home.
Amaya Dixon, 21, faces two counts of felony murder and two counts of child neglect in connection with the drownings of her 17-month-old sons, Ksyn and Kcye Dixon. The twins were discovered submerged in a bathtub at their apartment on April 17. After a series of legal proceedings, including a grand jury indictment, Dixon was granted a $20,000 bond, allowing her to leave jail while awaiting trial.
During the hearing in Richmond Circuit Court, Judge Charles Maxfield set the bond at $20,000, dividing it into $5,000 for each of the four charges against Dixon. Emotional during the proceedings, Dixon expressed relief, saying, “Thank you, God,” after the judge’s ruling. Following the hearing, family members, including the boys’ grandmother, expressed gratitude for Dixon’s ability to be with relatives during this time of grief, acknowledging the challenges she faced while incarcerated.
Prosecutors provided insights into the timeline of events that led to the incident. Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Joan Burroughs argued that video evidence contradicted Dixon’s assertion that she left her sons unattended for just four minutes to fetch milk. Instead, prosecutors noted that she had been away for approximately 15 minutes, returning only after her mother called. They revealed that Dixon had not informed anyone about leaving the boys in the bathtub.
Burroughs added that it was Dixon’s 12-year-old brother who discovered the twins struggling to stay afloat, while another older sibling sought help. Authorities were alerted around 8:39 p.m. that evening, and first responders found the boys unresponsive. Despite efforts to revive them at a local hospital, one boy succumbed that night, while the other passed away three days later.
The prosecution highlighted the twins’ developmental delays, noting that they could not support their own heads, which exacerbated their vulnerability in the bathtub. While police have not released a comprehensive timeline detailing the events leading up to the 911 call, they have not disclosed if specific conditions in the bathroom may have contributed to the tragedy.
Dixon’s attorney, William Smith, countered these claims, emphasizing that his client had never been convicted of a crime and suggested that the deaths were unintentional. He portrayed Dixon as a dedicated mother with strong ties to the community, reiterating that she was not a flight risk. In light of this, the judge imposed a condition on her bond, prohibiting Dixon from caring for minors while the case is pending, underscoring concerns regarding child safety.
Dixon’s arrest on May 7 followed the grand jury’s findings after a lengthy investigation by the Richmond police. In addition to the charges related to her sons, prosecutors noted that Dixon faced unrelated allegations in Chesterfield County, concerning financial crimes dating back to December 2025.
As the community grapples with this heartbreaking case, relatives stress the importance of justice and the right to a fair trial. Outside the courthouse, the boys’ grandmother described Dixon as a loving mother and reaffirmed the family’s unconditional love for Ksyn and Kcye.
With ongoing investigations and additional evidence being reviewed, the case is expected to move through the courts in the coming months. No trial date has been set as of now, and the community continues to await developments in this somber situation.