Warrant describes scene before toddler's death

LONG VIEW, N.C. — Eyewitness News has uncovered some of the details leading up to the 18-month-old boy's death.

No one was at the home where William Lail was watching the two kids, but a search warrant from Long View police was posted to the door.

It states police responded to the home for a report of an unconscious child.

It also says Lail tried to preform CPR on the boy, Jaden, but was unsuccessful.

Police also noticed bruising to the child's forehead and burns described as an "unknown traumatic injury."

The warrant also states witnesses saw excessive water coming out of the child's mouth.

Eyewitness News spoke with the neighbor who helped Lail call 911. She asked not to be identified but she described the traumatic scene.

"He blew in the baby's mouth and it spit up some water. He blew again and it spit up more water. And I turned the baby and it was lying on its back and I turned it over on its side and it never moved or nothing," she said.

Long View police said Jaden’s body was sent the medical examiner in Winston Salem to determine exactly how he died.

Kevin Brown lived behind Lail and said he would often hear screaming coming from the home.

Neighbors are heartbroken as they imagine what was really happening behind closed doors.

“It’s going to take a while for the whole neighborhood to recover," Brown said.

A memorial has been started on the steps of the home.

The grandmother of the 18-month-old said the 3-year-old sister is still recovering from burns in the hospital.

Lail is scheduled to be in court Monday on murder charges.

WSOC